They walk alone
by I-really-hope-not
Summary: Three kits found by ThunderClan. Two survive. Where did they come from? And what will happen when a challenge with no precedent is delivered? StarClan truly is twisted as they race to stop something that no cat could ever imagine. My first story, sorry, I suck at summaries!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so hi! My name is I-really-hope-not and this is my first fanfic. Please give me constructive criticism and no flames please, I'm a beginning author and I want to improve my skills. Also, please read and review. Also, if you have a problem with how a character is acting, please PM me! I would love to know how I can improve my skills. Thanks!**

"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" Squirrelflight burst into the camp, shouting the tabby's name.

"What?" Bramblestar asked, leaping to his paws, abandoning his sparrow. "Has something gone wrong with the patrol?"  
"No!" Squirrelflight's paws kneaded the ground. "Just come on!"  
Together the two cats raced through the still damp forests of Thunderclan. Soon they came to the edge of the lake, there the rest of the patrol waited. Bumblestripe looked up from where he paced around three wet scraps of fur.

"I-I'm sorry!" He exclaimed. "I-I couldn't- "

Bramblestar skidded to a halt, pebbles flying up from his paws. He pushed aside Bumblestripe who miserably hovered over his shoulder. Upon closer glance, the scraps of fur were kits, tiny, wet and dead.

"Are they dead?" He breathed.

"No." Bumblestripe's wavering voice was firm. "No. But, there was another a-a-and I c-couldn't save h-him."

Bramblestar spared a glance at the warrior and realized that the pale grey tom was now dark grey with water and shivering to death.

"Rosepetal, take Bumblestripe back to camp to see Jayfeather. We don't need another bout of greencough going around camp." The dark cream she-cat nodded and nosed the shaking warrior away.

Bramblestar turned back to the kits and pulled them farther to shore.

"Get them to camp!" He ordered. "Jayfeather needs to look at them and they must have a mother or father somewhere!"  
"What if they're another clan's, not loners?"Squirrelflight asked.

Bramblestar gave her a quick look.

"We mention it at the Gathering that's coming in a few days. They're kits, we have no feud against them."

Squirrelflight nodded and gingerly picked up a bundle in her teeth.

"Cinderheart is about to kit." She mumbled around the sodden lump. "She can take care of them."

Bramblestar nodded and picked up the remaining two, then the two cats turned into the trees and were gone.

 **~oOo~**

"Of course, I'll take them!" Cinderheart purred, much to the deputy of Thunderclan's relief. "They need a mother."

"Thank you Cinderheart." Squirrelflight said, "but you might not get three kits."

The gray queen sat up.

"It's the cold, isn't it?" It was a statement, not a question.

Squirrelflight nodded sadly. By now the whole camp was buzzing about Bumblestripe's daring rescue and how the three kits were faring. "The brown tom, he's the smallest and the weakest. Jayfeather and Leafpool are doing all they can but- "

"It's not enough." Cinderheart finished. Squirrelflight added again. The gray queen gave the ginger deputy a level look. In her gaze Squirrelflight saw the wisdom of not one, but two lives. "Somethings just aren't." She sighed. "What matters is that you tried your best and the rest is up to StarClan."

StarClan was cruel. Squirrelflight reflected, as Jayfeather came out of the den, shaking his head. They took lives with so much potential. But they also let others live long ones. Maybe that's why the elders always carry the dead. To remind them that someday, they will die, and it is their duty to escort the dead while they still live. Quickly shaking her head like her thoughts were water she could shake out of her ears, Squirrelflight set about making sure that StarClan would not add another to their ranks before the day's end.

 **Okay. First chapter done, please review, I am in dire need of constructive criticism. No flames please!**


	2. Chapter 3: Cinderheart gets angry

**Hey everyone! I-really-hope-not here with another chapter! Before the story starts, I would like to apologize for mixing up and posting the wrong chapter on this, I'm still getting used to this site. I would also like to thank all of the reviewers who pointed out my Cinderpelt/heart mixup, so thank you! Now for individual reply's!**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! It means a lot!**

 **iDragonSpyro: Yes, I am aware of my mistake and how the books went.**

 **Ice Feather Falling: Thank you so much for your review and OC!**

 **SongofThunder: Thanks so much!**

 **Etherose: Thanks for the OC's and review! It means a lot!**

 **Stormshadow3: Thanks for the constructive criticism!**

 **IvyclawOfPineClan: Thank you for the OC's and constructive criticism! It means so much!**

 **Rainstorm of ShadowClan: Thanks for the OC and pointing out my spelling error!**

 **WollStorm of ShadowClan: Thank you for the OC! That's pretty dramatic!**

 **Now let the story begin!**

Cinderheart insisted on naming the dead tom.

"I was supposed to take care of them!" She snarled at Jayfeather. "It's no different than if he was mine and died during kitting!"  
"If he died during kitting, you wouldn't be here!" The blind cat retorted. "You would be in the Nursery!"

As the two gray cats screamed and spat at each other, Lionblaze, his mother and Squirrelflight sat off to the side of the medicine den. The golden tom's tail was wrapped around the two remaining she-kits, already more of a mother to them than Cinderheart.

"What do you think?" Squirrelflight asked her surrogate son quietly.

Lionblaze blinked at Squirrelflight.

"I think Cinderheart should get to name him." He mewed back. "It's not right for us to let him to go to StarClan without a name."

"StarClan would give him a name." Leafpool whispered. "He wouldn't be nameless."

Lionblaze glared at her.

"It's not the same!" He hissed, the fur on his spine raising with anger along with his voice. "He needs a name given to him by us!"

Jayfeather turned and snarled at the three onlookers. "Out! Everyone out!"

Leafpool slunk out of the medicine den in the face of her blind son's wrath as Squirrelflight and Lionblaze hesitated.

"Get out!" Jayfeather raised a paw as if he was going to hit them. "Out of my den!"

"Not until you will let us see our kit so we can name him!" Lionblaze roared, temper finally spilling over. "He's not just Cinderheart's he's mine! Jayfeather, get it in your fox-brained head! He's both of ours!"

The silence that came after Lionblaze's declaration was almost comical, Jayfeather trembled with what seemed to be pure rage before spinning around and marching deeper into the medicine den.

"Name him." The scathing mew floated back to the three cats. "I don't care, it's not my time to waste on dead kits."

Quieter mumbling reached the ears of the three, as Cinderheart boldly stepped into the middle of the den, where the pitifully small corpse of the dead tom lay.

"Mudkit." The pregnant she-cat declared. "That's what we'll name him."

As Squirrelflight padded closer to get a closer look at the body, she noticed with a pang of sorrow that the kit's eyes were still screwed shut, his fur still spiky with the brown liquid that was his name. In the nest by the edge of the den, there was a faint _shh-ing_ sound from the she-kits wriggling, Cinderheart had originally come to the medicine den to suckle them, as she was already capable of producing milk, before getting in a verbal altercation with Jayfeather.

"It's perfect." Squirrelflight whispered, and was it her imagination, or did the kit-scent that was smothered under the smell of the mud and water clinging to his pelt become stronger?

Cinderheart briefly pressed her nose to the kit's pelt before moving to his sisters and picking them up by the scruffs of their necks and gently carrying them to the Nursery, her belly swollen from the tiny bodies that were yet to be born.

 **~oOo~**

Just as StarClan's warriors came out, Cinderheart started to kit. As the first cries were heard Jayfeather was in action, grabbing herbs and hurrying across the clearing to the nursery. As the night wore on, Lionblaze frantically paced around the mouth of the den, stopped, sat, and then repeated.

"Lionblaze, you have to eat!" Bramblestar's mew rang out, his amber eyes showing the worry that he had suppressed out of his fur. "Cinderheart is in good paws."

Lionblaze didn't stop his pacing.

"But what if-"

"No." Bramblestar cut him off. "Nothing will happen, no what ifs, no buts, and no more pacing. Go eat something. Then you can come back."

Lionblaze opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by his grumbling belly.

"You're only going to tire yourself out." Bramblestar pressed his point. "It's natural to worry, but you're taking it too far."

Lionblaze took a few steps towards the fresh kill pile. Bramblestar nodded.

"Come on. Share prey with me." He flicked his tail and stood up just as Jayfeather slid out of the nursery. Lionblaze was on him in an instant.

"How is she?" The golden warrior practically smothered his brother in his haste to get answers. "The kits?"

"One healthy she-cat." Jayfeather grumbled, but his eyes held something like pride for his brother. "Go on in, just be careful."

Lionblaze nearly bowled to entire den over trying to throw his entire body through a hole meant for slow, gentle movement. After getting through Bramblestar wriggled in behind him. Inside the dim light of the den fell on Cinderheart, curled around her dark grey kit and the two unnamed she-kits. Lionblaze was sitting in front of his mate, eyes shining.

"Aren't they prefect!" The golden warrior marveled. "They all look so similar!"

Bramblestar purred his agreement, the only one that didn't seem to fit was the white she-kit, which could be explained by Cloudtail being a relation of Firestar.

"What will we name them?" Lionblaze was almost vibrating with excitement now.

"Well." Cinderheart looked at her mate. "I was thinking that was could name _our_ kit Hollykit, you know, after Hollyleaf."

Lionblaze's purr maxed out, filling the den with its noise.

"And that one will be Swankit." Cinderheart nodded at the white kit, nestled between her unnamed sister and Hollykit.

"The last one?" Lionblaze's eyes were glowing with pride.

 _He's going to spoil them rotten._ Bramblestar watched with amusement as his adopted son practically pranced around the den.

After a moments consideration, Cinderheart responded.

"I think I'll name her Tallkit." Lionblaze's tail waved happily as he surveyed the she-kit, already a bit larger than her siblings, with large paws that promised that she would be formidable when she was a warrior.

Bramblestar quietly left to give his nephew time with his mate and kits alone and headed to the fresh kill pile, dealing with the unrefined cuteness of kits was exhausting.

 **And cut! That's a wrap! I just love proud papa Lionblaze, it would totally fit him, any way, please review and constructive criticism is always appreciated. No flames please! Please PM me if you have a problem with how a character is portrayed or acting, I would love to hear from you!**


	3. Chapter 4: Story time

**Aaaayyy! I-really-hope-not here with our forth(but technically third) chapter! I would like to thank everyone who submitted OC's, if they didn't make it in, I apologize, for the most part they didn't make it in because I wanted to make sure everyone could have an OC submitted and the limit on OC's I would use. Later, if I need more, I will add one that had been submitted, I may have forgotten some, so please PM me if you think so! I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed, it really means a lot. Now for individual replys;**

 **Ivyclaw of PineClan: I forgot to mention that, thanks for asking! Thanks for the OC's!**

 **Pondfrost: Thank you for the constructive criticism and the OC's!**

 **Rainstorm of ShadowClan: Thanks for pointing out my spelling errors! XD**

 **Hollythorn: Aaaawww, thanks! It really means a lot!**

 **Key Choice: Thank you! :)**

 **Snowcrystal of ThunderClan: Thank you! I'm just calling "~oOo~" a divider, no real name for it yet.**

 **Now, on with the story!**

"But Cinderheart!" Hollykit whined. "Why can't we go outside?"

"Yeah!" Tallkit agreed. "We really want to!"

The gray she-cat purred.

"You can go out when Swankit opens her eyes. Until then, you must wait for your sister."

"It's not fair." Tallkit grumbled, plopping her butt on the ground. "We want to go outside now!"

"Yeah." Hollykit said sulkily. "We shouldn't be stuck inside just because pretty little _Swankit_ hasn't opened her eyes yet."

Cinderheart sighed, other queens didn't seem to have this problem. _But then again, other queens don't have this amazing and energetic litter to look after._

"If Swankit opens her eyes now, you all can go outside now. Until then, you stay in the Nursery."

The two sisters grumpily scuffled the ground with their tiny paws and muttered back and forth, most likely complaining about the pure injustice that Cinderheart was setting upon them.

"Look!" Tallkit yelled. "Swankit's opened her eyes!"

Cinderheart made the mistake of looking. After spinning around, all the grey queen saw were the tails of her kits as they made for the entrance. Quickly blocking them the gray queen ushered her rambunctious kits back towards the nest.

"I would've made it out if you hadn't blocked the hole with your big tail." Hollykit accused her sister quietly.

"I'm sorry?" Tallkit blinked innocently at Hollykit. "Who was eating my dust again? 'Cause it sure wasn't me!"

"Shut up!"Hollykit squealed, pouncing on the lighter gray kit. "It's not my fault, you were blocking the way with your big butt!"

"Hollykit." Cinderheart said sternly. "That's not a nice thing to say. Apologize to your sister."

"Sorry Tallkit." Hollykit brushed her pelt across her sister's. "I didn't mean it."

Tallkit tried to purr, the noise coming out strangled.

"Apology accepted."

As the two kits happily bantered with each other, Cinderheart reflected on her kits. _Hollykit and Tallkit have had open eyes for nearly a day. Why isn't Swankit opening hers?_ For a moment Cinderheart felt a bolt of pure fear. _What if she never opens them?_

"Cinderheart!" Tallkit complained. "Hollykit's saying she's faster than me! Tell her I'm faster!"

"Well." The queen swept her kits back into the nest, they landed next to Swankit, who was curled up into a ball, eyes still shut. "You're equally fast to me."

"But _Cinderheart_ ," Tallkit's mew climbed into a wail. "We won't be equally fast to _Bramblestar_."

"Yeah!" Hollykit nodded. "We need to be the best warriors we can be!"

"To defeat ShadowClan!"

"Scare away RiverClan!"

"Battle WindClan!" The pair of gleaming eyes shone in the dim light of the Nursery as the kits chorused their little chant.

"I'm sure you will be great warriors." Cinderheart mewed.

"The greatest!" Hollykit made a few swipes in the air with her tiny paws. "Tallkit?"

The silver tabby was pressing her face down in front of the white she-kit's face. Suddenly she shouted,

"BOO!"

Swankit screamed and tumbled backwards into Hollykit.

"Watch where you're rolling!" She grumbled, stepping around Swankit so she could look her in the eyes. As she was doing so, Cinderheart was taking Tallkit to task for her prank.

"S-sorry." Swankit squeaked, blue eyes round.

"I'm sorry Swankit." Tallkit's voice wavered as she approached, eyes shinier than usual. "Are you okay?"

"Say "yes"." Hollykit snarled quietly. "Otherwise Tallkit will get sad."

"Yes." Swankit nodded.

Tallkit flashed Hollykit another glance before curling up, her back the other kits.

"Hey." Hollykit padded up to her sister. "Swankit's opened her eyes, we can go out now!"

"Go on ahead." Tallkit mumbled. "I wanna sleep."

Hollykit blinked at her sister.

"Well." The kit said slowly. "I guess this means that we can never have that race."

Tallkit sprung to her paws.

"Oh, you're on!"

"Tallkit." Cinderheart stared at her daughter. "Remember what I said."

"Yes Cinderheart." Tallkit flicked her tail and leaped out of the nursery, chasing Hollykit's tail.

"Wait for me!" Swankit stumbled after the two. "Slow down!"

"Woah." Hollykit breathed, eyes momentarily blinded by the bright light. "It's so big!"

Tallkit and Swankit nodded in agreement, eyes as round as the moon.

"Look at how big they are!" Swankit squealed, watching as a patrol dropped prey on the fresh-kill pile and flopped down in the sun.

"They're not too big." Tallkit eyed the warriors.

"Speak for yourself!" Hollykit said, bounding into the middle of the quarry. "I wanna try fresh-kill!"

The other kits scrambled after her, Tallkit tripping and falling over her own paws.

"Hey." Tallkit peeked up at the she-cat. "What's your name?"

"T-Tall-"  
"Tallkit?" The tortoiseshell cocked her head. "You must be part of Lionblaze's lot."

"Lionblaze?" Swankit squeaked. "Is he here?"

"He's got better things to do with his time." She bared her teeth in a slight snarl. "Like take care of his clan."

"Blossomfall!" A silver-and-white tabby stalked over. Tallkit and Swankit froze, _this_ cat seemed dangerous. "Stop terrorizing the kits and move your tail, you're on patrol."

"Yes Ivypool." The tortoiseshell's whiskers twitched.

Ivypool watched her go before turning to the kits.

"Your sister is waiting for you." Her dark blue eyes sparkled. "So you're Cinderheart's kits?"  
"And Lionblaze's!" Swankit said happily. Ivypool purred.

"They were me and Dovewing's mentors." She said, escorting them to where Hollykit sat. "You'll make great warriors."

"The best!" Hollykit and Tallkit chorused.

"Yeah!" Swankit added.

"I'm sure you will." Ivypool nodded to a den that was made from a fallen tree. "Why don't you go visit the elders? They have lots of stories to tell."

"But that's bor-" Tallkit began before Hollykit slapped her tail over her mouth.

"Let's go!" Swankit took off, Hollykit racing after her.

"Why aren't you going?" Ivypool asked.

"I wanna give them a headstart." Tallkit's tail tip flicked. "And...now!"

The fluffy she-kit raced across the clearing, her long strides eating the distance between her siblings.

"She looks like she could be WindClan." Spiderleg commented, sitting down next to Ivypool. "What, with the legs and all."

"Well, she was found with her sister, and look at her!" Ivypool retorted. "I mean look at her!"

Swankit had been passed by her taller sister and was now trotting into the elder's den, where Tallkit was most likely rubbing her victory into Hollykit's face.

"They might not be sisters." Spiderleg stood up. "Just keep in mind that Bramblestar still hasn't announced to the other Clans about our "find". They might claim them."

"They won't." Ivypool said with confidence, but deep inside, she knew that Spiderleg was right.

 **~oOo~**

"So." Graystripe said, amber eyes twinkling. "You want to hear a story."

"Yes!" Tallkit practically shouted.

"Sure." Hollykit grumbled, annoyed at Tallkit's antics.

"Tell them the story of The Warrrior, the Apprentice and the Kit." Sandstorm suggested.

"I could tell 'em 'bout the time when I fought a fox!" Purdy bragged.

"Purdy." Sandstorm pointed out. "We don't want to give them nightmares."

"Oh." The elder deflated. "Tell 'em your story then."

"Once upon a time." Graystripe began,

 _There was a nasty fox, he lived in a stump in the middle of an island. Now this island was a very special island, on one side there was prey, but not very much. On the other side, it was always greenleaf and the prey was fat and juicy. Now this fox, being a cold-hearted fox, didn't want to share and lived in a stump in the middle of a clearing, the only way to get from side to side was to pass though this clearing. One day, a warrior by the name of-_

"Tallstar!" Tallkit shouted.

"No! Hollystar!" Hollykit shouted.

"Swanstar?" Swankit asked.

Graystripe purred. "Let me finish."

 _A warrior by the name of, of, of, of..._

"Purdy." Purdy offfered.

"It's Quickclaw." Sandstorm picked up the story.

 _Of Quickclaw decided to fight the fox, so that his clan could live there. So he left camp, but he told his apprentice, Moonpaw where he was going. Moonpaw, being a good apprentice tagged along, but she wasn't very smart. So she told Goldenkit where they were going. Goldenkit followed them and by the time Quickclaw realized, they were already too far from camp. So they went to the edge of the clearing, but Goldenkit went on ahead and the fox lunged out of the stump!_

 _"I hear the pit-pat of little paws!" He snarled. "Who is it?"_

 _"I am Goldenkit." Goldenkit squeaked._

 _"Well Goldenkit, I'm going to eat you up! Ha ha!" The fox laughed._

 _Quickclaw and Moonpaw were about to rush out and save Goldenkit when he replied._

 _"Oh no Fox!" Goldenkit said. "You don't want to eat me! I am all fur and bones! You want to eat Moonpaw, she has more meat!"_

 _So the fox thought about it and agreed, and let Goldenkit into the forest on the other side. Then the fox returned to his stump._

 _Then Moonpaw walked into the clearing. The fox leaped out of the stump and snarled._

 _"I hear the pit-pat of little paws!" He snarled. "Who is it?"_

 _"I am Moonpaw." Moonpaw replied._

 _"Goldenkit said you would come!" The fox cackled. "I'm going to eat you up!"_

 _"Oh no Fox!" Moonpaw began._

 _"Don't call me Fox!" The fox growled. "Call me Doom. I prefer Doom."_

 _"Oh no Doom!" Moonpaw said, slightly confused. "You don't want to eat me! I am all fur and tough hard muscle! You want to eat Quickclaw, he has more meat than I!"_

 _Doom thought about it, agreed, and let her go into the forest on the other side before returning to the stump._

 _Then Quickclaw raced into the clearing, but Doom jumped out of the stump._

 _"I hear the pitter-patter of not-so-little paws!" He snarled. "Who is it?"  
"I am Quickclaw." Quickclaw said boldly. "Let me though."_

 _"Not on your life!" Doom scoffed. "I'm going to eat you up!"_

 _Quickclaw thought wildly, but Doom lunged at him! So he did what warriors do best, fight for their clan! He quickly scratched Doom in the nose, yelping Doom turned and ran away. Quickclaw crossed the clearing and he and Moonpaw hunted to their heart content while Goldenkit ate to his heart's content. Soon though they had to go home, and when they did, they were so full they could barely walk!_

"Wow!" All the kits squealed.

"Now run along." Sandstorm purred. "I think Cinderheart will be looking for you."

"Can we come again?" Swankit asked eagerly.

"Any time." Graystripe purred.

Later that night as the kits dropped off, their dreams were full of foxes, battles, and prey, and they couldn't be happier, curled up together, knowing they would get opportunities to become warriors as great as Quickclaw together.


	4. Chapter 5: Gathering

**Okay, as some of you may have noticed, I changed the name of this story to "They walk alone" because I think it fits better with the story then "Just a quick flight". Sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed, life is pounding down the barricade I set up over my door. I don't think I have anything else to say, so individual replies!**

 **Etherose: Thanks!**

 **Candymouse22: Thanks, I'm trying hard!**

 **Pondfrost: Yeah. Well. They gotta have something beyond war stories.**

 **Pikawarriorcat: Thank you for sticking with my story!**

 **Key Choice: Thank you, looking forward to your next chapter.**

The sun was falling beyond the mountains, just the very top peeking out as it fell into the Sun-Drowned-Place. The full moon was taking its place, laboriously climbing up into the sky and StarClan's warriors began to dot Silverpelt.

"Alright!" Bramblestar yowled. "The following cats are going to tonight's Gathering! Squirrelflight! Jayfeather! Leafpool! Lionblaze! Cinderheart! Dovewing! Ivypool! Sandstorm! Graystripe! Rosepetal! Spiderleg! Berrynose!"

"But I want to go!" Hollykit shouted from where the three kits sat outside the nursery, moss ball lying forgotten.

"Me too!" Swankit's eyes sparkled.

"Me three!" Tallkit bounced around her siblings.

Bramblestar purred, the sister's eyes had just started changing colors, and so far, it seemed that only Tallkit had different colored eyes. Since then, they had gotten the impression that they were apprentices.

"When you're apprentices, you'll be able to go. Until then, you must stay in the camp."

"That's no fair!" Tallkit slouched and Hollykit's tail started twitching.

"It's the warrior code." Bramblestar raced out of the quarry, the warriors chosen for the Gathering trailing behind him in a ribbon of sleek fur.

"I think we should sneak out." Swankit said quietly as the remaining cats went back to their duties, some of the younger warriors complaining.

Tallkit choked on her breath, racking coughs exploding from her tiny mouth.

"What did you just say?" She rasped.

"I said that we should sneak out." Swankit repeated.

"I honestly never expected to hear you say that." Hollykit said.

"But." Tallkit frowned. "Bramblestar might postpone our ceremonies!"

"That's only if we get caught." Hollykit pointed out.

Swankit bristled. _They were always talking over her_ _!_

"What do you think Swankit?"

"Huh?"

Hollykit swished her tail impatiently.

"Sneaking out! To go to the Gathering! What do you think?"

"We should do it." Swankit said, fur tingling with excitement.

 **~oOo~**

"Okay. Here's the plan." Swankit whispered. "We sneak out using the Dirtplace, then we go to the lake shore and get to the island, then we attend the Gathering and no cat will be the wiser."

"But what about if we're spotted?" Tallkit was being unusually apprehensive.

"Then we pretend to be apprentices!" Hollykit mewed cheerfully.

"But we look like kits!" Tallkit protested. "And what if they're from ThunderClan?"

"That won't happen." Swankit assured her older sister.

Tallkit flattened her ears but said nothing.

The three kits wiggled out of the nest, Daisy sound asleep. Then they crept along the edge of the clearing, hiding in the shadows clumsily.

"Ready?" Hollykit hissed.

Swankit and Tallkit nodded. Quickly disappearing into the Dirtplace, the kits put their plan into action.

 **~oOo~**

"Let the Gathering begin!" Rowanstar yowled.

"Who let him speak for the leaders?" Sandstorm muttered from over by the elders.

"Shhh!" An ancient WindClan elder shushed her.

"ShadowClan has great news! We have a new warrior, Rosepaw has shown great drive and ambition and has joined the warriors as Rosewing!" He paused as the cats yowled the name. "We also have three new apprentices- Inkpaw, Rowanpaw, and Cypresspaw! Hazelwing has moved to the nursery and is expecting Razorflight's kits."

The crowd yowled their names again and quieted down, Mistystar stepped forwards.

"RiverClan is doing well, the rivers are filled with fish and our warriors are strong! I would like to report that we have two new kits; Leopardkit and Cheetahkit! Loudkit has also become an apprentice."

The crowd yowled the silver tabby's name as his yellow eyes glowed with pride. Onestar stepped forwards.

"WindClan is strong, and we will defend our territory!" He yowled, shooting a glare at Mistystar who looked unabashed. "We have new kits to report too, Icekit has joined WindClan, and Aurastorm has given birth to Foxkit, Thornkit, Hailkit,and Rosekit. There was also a badger on our territory which killed Rosekit." Onestar bowed his head. "We drove it towards ThunderClan territory. Quickpaw has also been made a warrior as Quickclaw!"

The Clans yowled for him, but there was the under-note of sadness for Rosekit. Then it was Bramblestar's turn.

"ThunderClan is doing well, and our prey is running well. Thank you for mentioning the badger, we will be on the watch for it." He began. "Cinderheart has given birth and we are pleased to welcome Hollykit to ThunderClan!" The queens all clustered around Cinderheart and were complimenting her on her first kit. "We would also like to report that we found three kits on the banks of the lake." Bramblestar swallowed. "Only the two she-kits survived. We would like to ask if they belong to any Clan."

There was a pregnant pause until;

"They belong to WindClan!" Onestar shouted, and the whole clearing exploded.

 **~oOo~**

"Are we there yet?" Swankit whispered.

"It's your plan," Hollykit responded.

"I knew we shouldn't have came." Tallkit whimpered as a strong, strange scent came to their noses.

"What's that smell?" Swankit opened her mouth but only a squeak came out. "B-badger!"

"Oh stop it." Hollykit said crossly. "You'll scare Tallkit even more than she is now!"

"N-no!" Swankit nearly peed herself. "Badger!"

Finally Hollykit and Tallkit turned around and came face-to-snout with an angry badger.

"Holy StarClan!" Hollykit screamed and leaped back. Tallkit said some not-nice things she learned from the warriors.

"Wait." Hollykit took a closer look. "It's just a branch."

"O-oh." Swankit laughed nervously. The dark forest seemed to be looming closer to the three kits. Cinderheart had said that StarClan was always watching over them, but now it felt like all of StarClan was watching the Gathering and they had all forgotten to watch the kits.

"Swankit?" Hollykit's voice broke in a high squeak. "Step slowly towards us."  
Tallkit nodded, eyes round as she crouched close to the ground with her ears flattened next to Hollykit.

"Why?" Swankit turned around and a dark shape loomed up at the kits, white stripe glowing in the moonlight.

 **~oOo~**

"Do you have proof?" Bramblestar demanded.

"No." Onestar admitted. He drew Bramblestar to a branch and the other leaders tried to quiet down their Clans. "Let me tell you something."

After several minutes of whispering, the two came to a conclusion.

"Enough!" Brambestar yowled, voice ringing across the clearing. "We have reached a decision!" The cats quieted down, clans grouped together and hissing at others. "When the kits become apprentices there will be a race. If they preform well, they will become WindClan. If they preform poorly, they will remain ThunderClan."

"That's mouse-dung!" A cat yowled.

"I know." Bramblestar mewed calmly. "But do you have a better idea?"

The cat who had spoken remained quiet. Now Onestar stepped forward.

"The kits will race Aurastorm's litter, if they tie, or beat my clan, they will join WindClan. If not, they will stay ThunderClan apprentices and this will just be another amusing story for the elders." There was a ripple of laughter. Onestar's whiskers twitched as he added wryly. "After all, ThunderClan raised or not, WindClan is always the fastest."

"Gathering adjourned!" Rowanstar yowled, leaping out of the tree, his clan racing after him.

"Well." Sandstorm remarked. "That was exciting."

Greystripe purred in agreement. "More exciting then the Gathering when Firestar was introduced."

 **~oOo~**

Swankit screamed, the shrill sound echoing off of the trees as the badger raised a massive paw, blunt claws glinting cruelly.

"Swankit!" Tallkit shouted, racing forward, but for once, she wasn't fast enough.

"No!" Hollykit sprang after her, tiny claws bared. "Don't you dare!"

The paw swung, and the tiny white kit flew through the air, a beautiful sash of blood trailing behind her.

 **Mua ha ha! Cliffhanger! Okay. Crud Gathering scene, but life nearly broke though and I had to go slay Responsibilities. I tried to make sure everyone's OC had a cameo, and if I didn't add them, I will later. Also, for changing eyes thing, all kittens have blue eyes when they are born, and at about 6 weeks (or about 2 moons) they will start to change into their adult colors, by 3 months, they will have their adult eye colors. So yeah. Mini science lesson. Please review, constructive criticism please, no flames! And because a lot of authors are doing this, I figured, _why not?_ So here we are with a question of the day.**

 **QOTD: Who is your favorite kit? Hollykit? Tallkit? Swankit? Why?**

 **Until next time my dear readers!**


	5. Chapter 6: The Aftermath

**Hello everyone! I-really-hope-not here with our sixth chapter, I also have the cutest story to tell! In my brother's class they asked them to draw themselves in their favorite book series, and he drew himself as a Warrior! And next to him, he drew "me" as his mentor with our parents as leader and deputy! I feel so darn happy about this that I changed the plot a bit, so let's get down to individual replies and the story!**

 **Cascade of Raining Ice: Thanks!**

 **Pondfrost: Neither do I; that's part of why I changed the plot a bit.**

 **Candymouse22: Thanks! It seemed kinda silly, so thanks for calming some of my fears with your review!**

 **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: :3**

 **Spottedshadow1: Read on!**

 **Guest: You should, mind telling me your story so I could go check it out?**

 **JayTheLeo: Thanks! I'm trying to have some character development though, so their personalities might fluctuate. Love your latest chapter!**

 **Ice Feather Falling: Thank you so much! Words cannot explain how happy your review made me! I don't really know how long I can keep Swankit that way though; she just got attacked by a badger. Hollykit is Lionblaze and Cinderheart's kit, Swankit and Tallkit are the adopted ones and they don't know that they're not blood related. Hope this clears things up!**

 **Now for the story!**

* * *

As the ThunderClan cats padded back though the forest, a high, thin shriek echoed, rebounding off of the trees.

"What was that?" Bramblestar froze, ears swiveling. It almost sounded like- no. It couldn't be.

"Swankit!" Cinderheart exploded out from the line of cats and raced towards the sound.

"Wait!" Lionblaze charged after his mate, determined to protect his family.

"ThunderClan!" Bramblestar yowled. "After me!"

The cats raced after the panicked pair, paws pounding as they flew across the ground, swifter than WindClan.

"Get away from my kits you mangy fox-heart!" Cinderheart yowled, slamming into the side of the badger, knocking it away from her kits.

Lionblaze leaped into the fight, slashing at the badger's pelt.

"ThunderClan attack!" Bramblestar yowled, the warriors flooding into the clearing and throwing themselves into the fight.

"Leafpool!" Jayfeather crouched over the prone form of Swankit. "I need horsetail, goldrenrod, and marigold! Sandstorm and Graystripe, get me cobwebs now!"

"But-" The sand colored elder was cut off by a loud hiss.

"Do you want this kit do die?" The blind tabby snarled. "Or do you just not know what cobwebs look like?"

Sandstorm bristled angrily until she stiffly nodded and vanished into the undergrowth behind Graystripe. Jayfeather carefully pressed his paws around the large wound that was bubbling blood from her shoulder.

"Tallkit, Hollykit!" Ivypool stepped forward to protect the two cowering kits, their ears pressed flat to their heads as they tried to shut out the screeches of the cats and the roars of the badger. "I'll protect the kits!"

"And don't you ever come back!" Cinderheart's vicious screech cut though the air as the badger forfeited the battle and loped away towards the ShadowClan border. "You mangy mouse-brained foxheart!"

"Swankit?" Lionblaze had raced to his kit and was worrying and kneading at the ground under his paws as he fretted. "Is she going to be okay?"

"If you don't back away she won't!" Jayfeather snapped at his brother, not removing his focus from his tiny patient. Lionblaze backed away and paced a fox-length away. Sandstorm hobbled out of the bushes, followed by Graystripe and Leafpool.

"Here." The elder shoved a pawful of cobwebs at the gray tabby who snatched them from her as he furiously chewed up the herbs Leafpool gave him. Smoothing the poultice over the gash, Jayfeather carefully pressed the cobwebs over and then slowly sat down.

"She'll be okay." Bramblestar had to strain to hear the quiet mew. "I'll need to get her to my medicine den soon though; infection could soon set in."

Berrynose thought for a bit before wandering off into the forest.

"Berrynose!" Rosepetal yowled after him in annoyance. "Get back here!"

Soon the cream tom trotted back, dragging two sticks behind him.

"Here," The warrior said, proudly. "Carry her with these."

"Well!" Cinderheart snapped. "Get going! Save my kit!"

Eventually, they managed to balance Swankit over the sticks and carefully drag the entire contraption to camp.

 **~oOo~**

"I'm so sorry!" Daisy wailed, the cream queen was in violent hysterics, made even worse by Swankit's injury. "I call myself a queen and I let this happen!"

"Daisy." Lionblaze said gently. "We're not blaming you. It's not your fault, even the most devoted queen can lose sight of a rambunctious litter."

Daisy slowly calmed down under the careful attentions of Cinderheart and Lionblaze, assuring her that it wasn't her fault. In the medicine den, a different interaction was taking place.

"Swankit?" Tallkit hovered over the nest peering at her fallen sister.

"She won't be awake." Hollykit mewed softly. "Jayfeather gave her poppy seeds."

"I didn't." An irritated mew drifted from the entrance of the medicine den. "Now get out of my way."

As the blind cat padded deeper into the den and settled into his nest, a sleek brown head popped out of a different nest.

"Don't worry." Briarlight soothed. "Swankit will be okay. Now get some sleep."

The two kits gave each other a look and decided that they wouldn't be sleeping until Swankit woke up. As Jayfeather's loud snores filled the den under shadowed by Briarlight's soft sniffles the kits sat a vigil over their sister's nest.

"Tallkit?" The drowsy mew floated up from a protective cocoon of moss. "Hollykit?"

"Swankit!" Hollykit muscled the silver kit aside in her urgency to get to Swankit's nest side. "How are you feeling?"

"What do you remember?" Tallkit's head poked up next to Hollykit's. Swankit blinked slowly.

"I...remember there being a badger..." Swankit frowned. "And getting hit... I remember that it was someone's idea to sneak out..."

"It was Tallkit's!" Hollykit exclaimed, forgetting in her haste that it was Swankit's idea.

"No it wasn't!" Tallkit argued. "It was Swankit's!"

"It was mine?" Swankit racked her memory but came up empty. "I...don't think so..."

"It was!" Tallkit persisted. "You wanted to go see the Gathering! Hollykit-" The silver kit turned pleadingly to her sister who had just realized the grave mistake she had made. Her hopeful look faded as she saw Hollykit's odd look. "Fine. I guess that's how it is." All of the fear and tension that Tallkit had been bottling up rushed out.

"I guess that's how it is. We blame the one kit who _didn't_ want to go for this mouse-brained idea! Well you can take your-" Tallkit stopped there, claws raking the smooth dirt of the den angrily. "You can say good-bye to being my friend!" She spat, fur bristling before spinning around and stalking out the den, tail tip twitching, her silver tabby pelt turning white from the moonlight. Hollykit and Swankit watched her go.

"It's okay." Hollykit soothed. "Tallkit's just scared about you. She's so scared that-"

"Please don't coddle me." Swankit interrupted. "I'm your littermate, not a kit that needs a warrior to look after her."

Hollykit sat quietly for a moment before standing.

"I guess I'll just go now." The grey kit's mew was subdued.

"Wait!" Swankit whispered. Hollykit stopped and looked back, her whiskers turning into moonbeams. "Please...stay? I'm- I'm scared."

With a soft purr Hollykit trotted back over and sat in front of the nest, facing the entrance.

"I'll guard you in your sleep." She joked, and as the white kit slowly drifted back into sleep, the last thing she saw was the comforting shape of her sister.

Later, Swankit woke up to the odd smell of cold air and wet dirt, but it soon resolved itself into the familiar sharp tangs of the medicine den.

"Hollykit?" She whispered quietly, and the small figure turned around, green eyes glowing. "Thanks for staying with me..."

And with that, Swankit dropped into a deep, dreamless, healing sleep. It was only once she woke up that she realized that Hollykit had _blue_ eyes.

 **And cut! That's a wrap! Constructive criticism please, no flames! What do you think of Tallkit? (This isn't a QOTD, just me asking.) Now for the QOTD;**

 **QOTD: Who do you think the cat sitting there was?**


	6. Chapter 7: Ceremonies

**Hey everybody! I-really-hope-not here with another chapter! I'm sorry for not updating sooner, I had a bit of writer's block. Thank you so much for the reviews, it means a lot, and we reached 50! WHAT? I DID NOT EXPECT THIS, thank you all so much and I love you all so, so much! I would like to promote Winter's Storybook's forum, Children of the Light, it's awesome, and you'll have a lot of fun! Also, I'm thinking about doing an original fiction on Fictionpress, please vote on my profile about it, and PM if you want to submit an OC, I'll give you the form. And finally, I'm accepting commissions, so feel free to PM me about one. Now for the QOTD answers, I should have made this clearer, but the shadowed shape was a kit, and no one got it right, so you can guess again. Now it's time to get down to individual replies!**

 **Snowcrystal of ThunderClan: Nope, good guess! But thanks about my brother.**

 **Pondfrost: Thanks for the constructive criticism, and good guess, but not right.**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: Thanks!**

 **Candymouse22: Read on! :3 Good guess but no.**

 **Dapplewing123: Thanks for pointing out what I need to do better on, and thanks for the compliment!**

 **Ivyclaw of PineClan: Mudkit and the unnamed kit are the ones who died, Swankit and Tallkit are the one's who survive, hope this clears that up!**

 **Pikawarriorcat: Me too, read on!**

 **Silverstar of LightningClan: Yup, that was a stupid mistake of me, and if I ever need OC's I'll PM you!**

 **Silverstar: Yes I do know...**

 **Guest: Sorry, I'm not accepting anymore OC's, but I'll put Crowtail at the end of the waiting list.**

* * *

Tallkit sat outside the nursery, it had been two moons since they were attacked by the badger, and only one and a half since Cinderheart had let them outside the nursery. Hollykit was helping Swankit with her exercises, her leg had healed, but now there was a massive scar there and she was constantly stumbling. Hollykit mewed something to Swankit and came bounding over as the white kit started walking to the elders den.

"Tallkit." The grey kit mewed seriously. "We need to talk."

There was a tense silence between the two kits before they broke into massive smiles.

"Did she fall for it?" Tallkit asked.

"Yes." Hollykit sat down. "Your acting was great, but-"

"It's my choice." Tallkit told her. "I don't want Swankit to blame herself."

"But you didn't want to leave!" Hollykit insisted. "It should have been me!"

Tallkit shrugged.

"You're her favorite sister." She muttered. "It would have hurt more."

Hollykit shifted uncomfortably.

"So." She said, changing the subject. "Who do you think your mentor will be?"

"I want Squirrelflight!" Tallkit said excitedly, embracing the subject change.

"Well I'm going to get Bramblestar!" Hollykit said proudly.

"Maybe you'll get Cloudtail!" Tallkit teased.

Hollykit scrunched up her nose at the thought of getting the grumpy white warrior as a mentor.

"Hollykit, Tallkit!" Cinderheart called. "Go get Swankit, it's time to sleep!"

"Awww!"The two grey kits whined, as they turned to face Cinderheart.

"I don't want any of that from you two." She said sternly. "Now go get Swankit."

The two kits cowered before their mother's silent wrath and ran to go get Swankit.

"Hi Hollykit!" The white kit exclaimed cheerfully as they padded into the elder's den. "Oh... hello, Tallkit..."

"Hi Swankit." Tallkit mewed back.

"Cinderheart wants us back into the nursery." Hollykit explained to the taller kit.

"Okay. Bye Sandstorm. bye Greystripe, bye Purdy." Swankit told the elders sadly.

"Good bye Swankit." Sandstorm said with a faint smile. "Now get going, you don't want to make Cinderheart mad do you?"

The kits started out of the elders den, Hollykit and Tallkit trailing behind Swankit to catch her if she stumbled. As they moved slowly across the clearing, Swankit pointedly ignored Tallkit. As soon as they were close enough, Cinderheart swept them into the nursery and washed them roughly.

"There." She said, releasing them. "Now go to sleep."

The three kit curled up into little commas in the nest, with Cinderheart's watchful gaze scorching their pelts.

"I'm sorry Swankit." Tallkit whispered for the thousandth time, and her sister ignored her for the thousandth time.

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock!" Bramblestar yowled, as cast slunk out of their dens and into the clearing. "Today we have three new apprentices, Hollykit, Swankit, Tallkit, please step forward."

The three kits stepped up to Bramblestar, Tallkit stumbling slightly, much to Swankit's silent amusement.

"Hollykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time you are apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. Your mentor will be Ivypool. I hope Ivypool will pass down all she knows onto you." The silver and white tabby blinked with surprise. "Ivypool, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Cinderheart, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and loyal. You will be the mentor of Hollypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Hollypaw practically bounced into Ivypool as they touched noses and walked to the edge of the group of cats.

"Swankit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swanpaw. Your mentor will be Dovewing. I hope Dovewing will pass down all she knows on to you." The grey she-cat purred slightly. "Dovewing, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Lionblaze, and you have shown yourself to be enterprising and intelligent. You will be the mentor of Swanpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Swanpaw's nose touch with Dovewing was more controlled than Hollypaw and Ivypool's, and the white apprentice's blue-green eyes glowed with happiness.

 _Ew._ Tallkit and Hollypaw thought. _I'm glad I didn't get her. She broke Bumblestripe's heart, poor Swanpaw._

"Tallkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time you are apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name. you will be known as Tallpaw. Your mentor will be Bumblestripe. I hope Bumblestripe will pass down all he knows on to you." Bumblestripe looked more shocked than Ivypool and Dovewing together. "Bumblestripe, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have shown yourself to have forethought and intelligence. You will be mentor of Tallpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know on to her."

Tallpaw touched noses with Bumblestripe.

* * *

As she curled up in her new nest in the apprentice den, Tallpaw stared at Swanpaw's ears.

"Goodnight Swanpaw." She whispered. "Goodnight Hollypaw."

It had been the first night in forever that she hadn't apologized, and it seemed that it felt a lot better now that she hadn't.

 **Okay, I'm not going to bother you about the chapter, so let's get on to QOTD's!**

 **QOTD1: Who do you think was the green eyed shadow?  
**

 **QOTD2: What do you think of their mentors?**

 **QOTD3: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope everything gets better and you don't have any responsibilities and can go sleep for a day.**

 **I-really-hope-not signing off, I'll see you all next time on _They Walk Alone! (Or maybe Weak Instead of Strong)_**


	7. Chapter 8: Racing and bad feelings

**Hey everyone, I-really-hope-not here with our seventh chapter, sorry for taking so long, but here it is. I have no excuse except for that I'm working on my other story; Weak Instead of Strong. If you haven't, please check it out, I would love to have feedback! Now for individual replies:**

 **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Pondfrost: Yup, and Swanpaw will be pretty ticked.**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: Yeah... thanks about the mentors!**

 **Afterburngaming: :)**

 **Silverstar of LightningClan: Awww! Thank you so much! :)**

 **Pikawarriorcat: Thanks!**

 **SilverflowerXRavenpaw: Thanks, and here's the update! I know, it must really suck to have a sibling who hates you, and I'm not going to pretend I know exactly how terrible that must feel.**

 **WarriorsErin: Nice guess, but it's not Hollyleaf. Thanks for the critique about their mentors, it means a lot!**

* * *

Tallpaw fidgeted, her paws shuffling across the ground as the group of cats walks one-by-one across the log bridge. Carefully placing her paws on the smooth wood, she scooted across, her claws leaving marks in the wood. Jumping to the ground Bumblestripe gave her nod of praise as they took their place on the Gathering island, the familiar smells of ThunderClan mixing with the fishy scent of RiverClan, the dank and musky smell of ShadowClan, and the windy, peaty, and cold smell of WindClan.

"Let the Gathering begin!" Bramblestar yowled and the mass of cats found seats. "Tonight is the night of the race between Aurastorm's litter, and our Tallpaw and Swanpaw!"

Taking a deep breath, Tallpaw stepped forward, standing in front of the leaders alongside Swanpaw, who was now as tall as she was.

"Hailpaw and Foxpaw will be representing WindClan!" Onestar announced and the grey tom and ginger she-cat joined the two ThunderClan apprentices.

"Hey." Hailpaw winked. "So, you think you can out run a WindClan cat?"

"I don't think I know." Tallpaw shot back.

"Good luck!" Foxpaw chirped.

"Good luck to you too." Swanpaw told her. "You're going to need it."

"All racers line up! You will do two laps around the edge of the clearing, if Tallpaw and Swanpaw come before either Hailpaw or Foxpaw, they will be accepted into WindClan. Bramblestar will be a secondary judge to see if there's cheating." Mistystar ordered, having been chosen to judge fairly in case of tie. The apprentices arranged themselves into a line. "Ready, set, go!"

They took off, legs churning and claws digging into the ground as they pushed themselves to the limits. They completed their first lap, all holding strong when Swanpaw's leg gave out and she fell. Struggling to her paws, she broke into a limping run, quickly left behind by Foxpaw, Hailpaw, and Tallpaw. Foxpaw slowly dropped behind and soon it was just Tallpaw and Hailpaw. They were quickly approaching the finish line when Tallpaw suddenly tripped, falling in a tumbling cloud of dust, dragging Hailpaw down with her, shrieking with anger. Both lay stunned for a moment as the crowd of cats yowled their disapproval before Tallpaw rolled to her paws and trotted across the finish line.

"She purposely did that!" A ShadowClan tom shouted with anger.

"Enough!" Mistystar yowled. "I proclaim Tallpaw as the winner, and she will join WindClan!"

"But what about Swanpaw?" A wavering voice called.

Mistystar frowned.

"She will stay in ThunderClan." The grey leader decided. "For she didn't pass before either WindClan apprentice."

"I proclaim this Gathering over!" Rowanstar leapt down from the tree and waved the ShadowClan cats to him.

The cats shifted uneasily into their Clans as the white apprentice angrily limped over to her mentor, and Hollypaw curled her tail over her sisters, bumping her gently with her head. Tallpaw slowly walked over to the WindClan group, Onestar standing proudly at the head of the group.

"Hi!" Foxpaw smiled at her. "Don't feel down, WindClan is awesome!"

"I'm sure." Tallpaw glanced back at the ThunderClan cats, hoping to see Cinderheart or Lionblaze before she left forever.

"Wait!" A strangled yowl came as a grey she-cat struggled through the group and several nasty looks to smother Tallpaw in licks.

"Good bye." Cinderheart whispered. "Lionblaze wasn't allowed to come, so I say it for both of us. Make us proud, Tallpaw, and serve your new Clan with honor and loyalty."

"I won't forget you." Tallpaw whispered back, her pelt blending with her adoptive mother's.

"Make us proud, and never forget that StarClan is always watching." Cinderheart slowly headed back to the ThunderClan group, looking back often. Tallpaw turned away, sure that she'd break down if she watched for any longer. She caught sight of Bumblestripe, who looked crushed. He mouthed something she couldn't hear and turned away, his face twitching into a pained grimace.

"Come on." Hailpaw brushed by, loping after the WindClan cats, who were streaming towards the tree bridge.

Tallpaw caught a flash of her sister's pelts, and suddenly all her resolve cracked.

"Hollypaw! Swanpaw!" She screamed over the murmur of cats. "Good bye, please don't forget me!"

Was it just her or did Hollypaw shout back? Did Swanpaw say good bye?

"Stop making a fool of yourself." Hailpaw whispered. "You already cheated in the race, time to deal with the consequences!"

Tallpaw opened her mouth to respond as a black she-cat roughly nudged her onto the bridge.

"Your turn." Nightcloud snaps and Tallpaw pads over, no feeling in her paws.

As she trailed behind the WindClan group, she listened to the night breeze, with the voices of cats who will never know this feeling. To the sound of the lake, holding the bodies of cats she never knew. To the rustling grass who's blades could cut like the knives in her heart. To the beat of her broken and homesick heart, to the longing in her paws to turn around and race back. To the thud of her paws, leaving parts of her life behind with every step. To the poisonous feeling in her soul that whispers of a fate that was laid out for her by the stars.

 **That's the end of chapter seven, so what did you think? I wrote it listening to "Blow us all away" to "Who lives, who dies, who tells your story" from Hamilton, I dunno if it's obvious in my writing. Onto Questions Of The Day!**

 **QOTD1: What do you think of the last part? Was her reaction realistic?**

 **QOTD2: What do you think of the verdict? Was it fair?**

 **QOTD3: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope that you get the thing you really want, and your crush (if you have one!) likes you back!**


	8. Chapter 9: A day in WindClan

**Hey everyone! I-really-hope-not here with our eight chapter! I'm not confident in my portrayal of the WindClan system, so if you think it should be in a different way, or the rules should be different, please review! Now for individual replies:**

 **Candymouse22: Thanks! Remember, there was cloud of dust, and the leaders couldn't see if she purposely did it or not.**

 **Redwut: Thanks so much! *munches cookie* Here's one for you too! (::)**

 **Cypresswillow: Tripping one's opponent on accident or not is pretty good reason to re-race. Tallpaw is a cheater though. Not going to deny it.**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: Thanks!**

 **Pondfrost: AHAHA! LINSPIRED, I LOVE IT! Thanks, WindClan is having some problems... Hope you had a good lazy day!**

 **Snowcrystal of ThunderClan: Everyone's! And no, she didn't really want to go to WindClan, but she did want to make her Clanmates proud by out-running a WindClan cat. And I can believe that, I was listening to "The World Was Wide Enough" at the time...**

 **Ivyclaw of PineClan: Thanks, your feedback is appreciated about the verdict and their reactions! He sounds really cute, and I'm having a fabulous day so far!**

* * *

Tallpaw rested her head on her paws as the stirring sounds of the WindClan warriors could be heard in the frigid morning.

"Come on! Get up!" Hailpaw poked her with his paw as Foxpaw yawned. "Onestar is assigning you a mentor today!"

"Fine." Tallpaw hauled herself to her paws, body aching. "Why is it so quiet?"

"We don't like noise." Hailpaw replied, his grey fur fluffing out. "It alerts the prey."

"Let all cats old enough to run the moors gather at the Tallrock!" Onestar yowled, his voice echoing though the camp.

Tallpaw sat with all six of the other WindClan apprentices, Flypaw and Flashpaw she learned, were the white and tan tabby and the ginger tabby respectively.

"We have a new apprentice, given to us by ThunderClan!" The brown tabby yowled. "Today, I will assign her a mentor! Tallpaw, you have been traded to us from ThunderClan. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ashpaw. Your mentor will be Heathertail. I hope Heathertail will pass down all she knows to you." The grey she-cat nodded, and Hailpaw's eyes widened. "Heathertail, you already are mentoring Hailpaw, and I believe that the two of you will be sufficient mentors. You have received excellent training from Crowfeather, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and intelligent. You will mentor Ashpaw."

Tallpaw, now Ashpaw, stepped forward to touch noses with Heathertail, who's eyes were filled with disdain at teaching Lionblaze's daughter. She stepped over to where Heathertail had been sitting, head bowed in the silent crowd.

"Meeting dismissed!" Onestar yowled, leaping down and waving Harespring to him.

"Hailpaw, Ashpaw!" Heathertail's voice cut sharply, and the two grey cats trotted after Heathertail. "Today, we will be covering the Warrior Code and the Code of WindClan."

"Yes Heathertail." Hailpaw bowed his head. Ashpaw cautiously did the same.

"We will explore the territory too." Heathertail's voice wobbled a bit as Onestar passed by. "Because Ashpaw doesn't know the difference between moor-ground and sink-ground."

"Yes Heathertail." Hailpaw murmured.

"Yes Heathertail." Ashpaw said quickly.

The she-cat waved her tail, and they followed her out of camp, passing the stony faced guard of Quickclaw.

"We mourn and respect our Clanmates who fell in the Great Battle." Heathertail stopped in front of a pile of stones. "Hailpaw; what are their names?"

"Ashfoot, Owlwhisker, Swallowtail, Thistletail, Tornear, Webfoot, Sunstrike and Boulderfur." Hailpaw touches a stone for each one, starting at the top and working down.

"This is the first rule of the WindClan Code." Heathertail instructs. "A patrol will visit the Shrine of the Fallen everyday to honor and remember their sacrifice. Hailpaw, what is the second rule?"

"After the queens, kits, and elders eat, the leader eats, then deputy, medicine cat and apprentice, senior warriors, warriors, then apprentices, in order of mentors ranking. Cats on guard duty are not allowed to eat until relieved of duty." Hailpaw responded promptly.

"Sick cats, no matter what rank, eat after the medicine cat." Heathertail added. "A day of guard duty for forgetting."

"Yes Heathertail."

"The third rule of the WindClan Code," Heathertail turned to Ashpaw, "is about borders. What is it?"

"If...a cat is suspected of crossing the border..." Ashpaw tried to remember what she had heard the ThunderClan warriors complain about. "Then...it is a punishable offence?"

"Partly. One day of guard duty." Heathertail curled her tail over her paws. "If a cat from another Clan is suspected of crossing the border, it is acceptable to fight over, and if a WindClan cat is accused of crossing the border, he or she will get a trial, and if found guilty, they are sentenced to a half-moon of guard duty and if they are a warrior, another half-moon of apprentice duties."

"Yes Heathertail." Ashpaw bowed her head, her mind swimming with all these different rules.

"Hailpaw, to redeem yourself, what are rules five and six?"

"Rule five is that the leader is always right concerning other Clans-"

"No." The she-cat must have been enjoying this. "It's "The Leader is always correct concerning other Leaders." You still have one day of guard duty."

"Yes Heathertail."

"Rule six is that you must defend your Clan and your leader with your life." Heathertail's face looked pained for a moment. "Your Clan is your life, and it is honorable to fall in combat defending its borders and your Clanmates."

"Yes Heathertail." Hailpaw and Ashpaw chanted.

"Now, we will explore the territory." Heathertail started away from the Shrine.

The apprentices followed her as they saw the training plain, the Horse tracks, the Rabbit Warrens. By the end, Ashpaw was staggering along when they came across the Moonstream.

"Tallpaw!" It was Hollypaw and Ivypool.

"It's Ashpaw now!" Hailpaw snarled. "Tallpaw is disrespect to our great leader Tallstar!"

"I can speak for myself!" Ashpaw said, indignant.

"Hollypaw." Ivypool cut in smoothly. "We are exploring the territory, not starting fights with WindClan apprentices."

"But she's my sister!" Hollypaw protested.

"Yes, but the blood of the Clan is stronger than the blood of family." Ivypool told the grey she-cat. "If Heathertail permits, you can talk."

"No." Heathertail said bluntly. "WindClan doesn't talk to rabbit-hearted ThunderClan cats. Hailpaw, Ashpaw, come."

"Wait!" Hollypaw leapt forwards. "I'm telling Swanpaw!"

Ashpaw spun around, amber eyes wide.

"Don't!" She begged.

"Ashpaw!" Heathertail hissed.

"Ashpaw!" Hailpaw yelped. "Come on!"

"Yes Heathertail, I'm sorry." Ashpaw scrambled after her mentor and fellow apprentice.

"I should give you a moon of guard duty for that." Heathertail hissed. "But for the sake for fairness, I'm giving you both two more days of guard duty."

"Yes Heathertail." Hailpaw dipped his head, eyes flashing with anger.

"Good, now you may rest for the rest of the day. I must talk to Breezepelt." And with that, the warrior stalked away, tail in the air.

"Thanks for that." Hailpaw grumbled, stalking back to his nest in the apprentices section. "Now instead of training, we're stuck on guard duty."

"Sorry." Ashpaw curled up in her nest, fur rippling in the slight breeze. "It's just so different here."

"I can tell." Hailpaw stills as Crowfeather passes by.

"Why aren't you two doing anything?" The black warrior snarls.

"Heathertail is talking to Breezepelt, and she gave us this time to rest." Ashpaw replied, keeping her tone demure.

"She's so lazy..." Crowfeather muttered. "It's not your fault. Rest."

"What does he mean "it's not our fault"?" Ashpaw hissed as the warrior stalked off to join the hunting patrol.

"Rule seven of the WindClan Code." Hailpaw hissed back. "Apprentices must obey everything their mentors say."

"What! She didn't tell me this!" Ashpaw swiveled to stare into the blue eyes of Hailpaw.

"That's just how it is." Hailpaw shrugged. "There's also rule eight; Pretty she-cats aren't allowed to hunt alone."

"That's not a rule." Ashpaw scoffed. Hailpaw grinned.

"No, it isn't, because then you would have to do everything with another cat." Hailpaw's eyes were alive with a humor Ashpaw hadn't ever seen on the grey tom before.

"You are an utter mouse-brain." Ashpaw laughed.

"Don't let anyone hear you say that, it's against the rules to insult a cat from your Clan." Hailpaw was deadly serious.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, now we sleep until Onestar announces apprentices can eat."

 **Okay, that was chapter eight, if you want, please add a rule to the WindClan code! Now for Questions Of The Day along with something I've also have decided to do, Fact of the Day:**

 **QOTD1: What did you think of the WindClan rules? Are they realistic to the books?**

 **QOTD2: What other rules should be in the WindClan code? Please suggest them!**

 **QOTD3: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope that the thing that you really didn't want to go to is cancelled, and you can just relax!**

 **FACT OF THE DAY: John Quincy Adams kept an alligator in one of the White House bathrooms. Apparently, he liked to watch guests run in terror. THE SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES EVERYONE!**


	9. Chapter 9: More WindClan

**Hey everyone! I-really-hope-not here with another chapter of They Walk Alone! I might have caused some confusion by removing chapter two because I no longer need OC's. On my lack of updating, I have nothing to say, only that I'm sorry for having such a weird update schedule. My computer's been acting up, and testing has just started this month. To top it off, I'm dealing with family drama, so it's a little hectic. Anyway, sorry to dump that on ya'll, and it's time for individual replies. (Also, we've reached 75+ reviews! Thank you so much everyone!)**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: Ooh. I like that rule. Can't wait for your next chapter of Lily of the Valley!**

 **Snowcrystal of ThunderClan: ...You're right...thanks for pointing that out!**

 **ApolloKitty: XD thanks for the advice! Can't wait for the next chapter of Dewkit's Promise!**

 **Candymouse22: I tried to make it a little more strict and realistic...probably shouldn't have read Animal Farm right before writing the rules...**

 **SilverflowerXRavenpaw: *le gasp* You got it! Anyway, WindClan does stink, and let's get going into the chapter, with more WindClan! I hope you did well at your track meet!**

 **Moss-Shadow: Thank you! :)**

 **kristen: Thank you for your feedback! I am aware of the Cinderpelt/heart mix-up, and your other feedback on Bumblestripe's dialog was very helpful! I should specified, there were four kits at the beginning, Bumblestripe managed to rescue and retrieve three, but the fourth drowned. Thanks for your feedback on my idea! :)**

 **hailstorm: I rather like that idea of night patrol. Thanks for giving it to me! I also very much all of the rules you've submitted, and I'm glad you finished it. You're welcome for asking. :)**

* * *

 ** _WindClan Code:_**

 _Rule 1: A patrol will visit the Shrine of the Fallen everyday to honor and remember our fallen Clanmates for their sacrifices._

 _Rule 2: After the queens, kits, and elders eat, the leader eats, then deputy, medicine cat and apprentice, sick or wounded cats, senior warriors, warriors, and apprentices, the final by the rank of their mentors._

 _Rule 3: If a cat from another Clan is suspected of crossing the border, then it is acceptable to fight and die over it._

 _Rule 4: If a WindClan cat breaks the WindClan Code, or the Warrior Code, they receive a trial to determine their punishment._

 _Rule 5: The leader is always correct concerning other leaders._

 _Rule 6: You must defend your Clan and your leader with your life. It is honorable to fall in combat or succumb to wounds inflicted in combat defending your Clanmates and your borders._

 _Rule 7: Apprentices must obey everything their mentor orders them to, within reason._

 _Rule 8: Claw for a claw- what you do to others will be reciprocated in turn._

 _Rule 9: To knowingly insult, or verbally or physically injure a Clanmate causes a rift in the Clan- it will result in a private trial._

 _Rule 10: It does not matter if a cat trained in the Place of No Stars, they are our Clan._

 _Rule 11: Queens and elders are the beginning and end of our Clan, they will be treated with respect and dignity._

 _Rule 12: To question your leader or medicine cat is an act against StarClan and therefore punishable._

 _Rule 13: Never put a single cat's life over that of the Clan's._

 _Rule 14: Cats on guard duty aren't permitted to eat until relieved, and cats on night patrol are not permitted to eat anything they caught._

 _Rule 15: Honor our ancestors and StarClan whenever you can._

* * *

Ashpaw blinked, her amber eyes struggling to focus as she squished back into her nest, the unfamiliar wind with smells of the moor and heather dragging cold fingers across her spine.

"Wake up Ashpaw!" Hailpaw prodded her with a paw, grey fur rippling.

"Ash-" Ashpaw asked, frowning as she tried to remember. "Oh."

"Oh is right." Come on," Hailpaw scooted off towards the mouth of the camp. "We're going to be late!"

Ashpaw hauled herself up out of the nest, and trudged after the energetic Hailpaw.

"Guard duty huh?" The warrior she relieved chuckled. "Have fun with numb paws!"

Ashpaw settled down at the mouth of the tunnel, and let her mind check out, floating freely among her thoughts.

 _I hope that Hollypaw doesn't actually tell Swanpaw about how we lied to her...she'd rip my ears of...I like my ears personally._ Ashpaw mentally shook her head, eyes narrowed slightly in reality.

"Let's go!" Heathertail stood in front of both apprentices. "You're relieved of duty. We have running training. Ashpaw, you need to learn how to run like a WindClan cat. Hailpaw, you need to re-learn, if you think that _miserable_ performance at the Gathering is acceptable."

"Yes Heathertail." Ashpaw and Hailpaw chanted, uncurling from the stiff seated positions they were held in.

"Let's go."

"Watch Hailpaw run." Heathertail instructed. "See how he lifts his paws and bends his spine?"

"Yes." Ashpaw watched as Hailpaw stretched his spine and reached out with his paws to get maximum distance before pushing off again. She shivered, the cold wind whipping over the moors.

"Hailpaw, return! Ashpaw, begin!"

Ashpaw broke into a run, remembering to stretch her spine and raise her paws.

"Woah!" Foxpaw popped up out of a dip in the ground, causing Ashpaw to leap to the side with a high-pitched screech.

"Foxpaw!"Nightcloud bounded up to the two apprentices, Heathertail stalking after her. "You're supposed to be practicing the ambush hunting tactic for _rabbits_ not WindClan _apprentices_!"

"Sorry Nightcloud." Foxpaw dipped her head, but Ashpaw could see a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

"Ashpaw." Heathertail gazed at her apprentice. "Your running is acceptable. We're moving on to group hunting tactics."

"Yes Heathertail, thank you Heathertail." Ashpaw bounded after the dusky she-cat.

The days passed quickly, Ashpaw no longer started when her Clanmates called her Ashpaw, training with Foxpaw and Hailpaw in hunting, combat, running and Outlooking, which is watching the moors from the Spire, a tall outcrop of rock that doubled as a sunning spot for the more robust elders was easier than ever. Now, instead of trailing behind Hailpaw and Heathertail, Ashpaw was running along side them, tail streaming behind her as the wind carried her along, paws flying over the moors, leaping tussocks of grass like she sprouted wings.

"It's the full moon tonight." Thornpaw, the medicine cat apprentice sighed, his blind eye shining. "Onestar will pick for the Gathering."

"Let all cats old enough to run the moors gather at the Tallrock!" Onestar yowled, tabby fur rippling in the wind that was picking up. "The cats going to the Gathering tonight are; Crowfeather, Nightcloud, Quickclaw, Barkface and Thornpaw, Harespring, Heathertail, Foxpaw, Hailpaw and Ashpaw, and..." Ashpaw waited breathlessly for the last name to be called. "Flypaw."

"Yes!" Hailpaw whisked his tail with happiness as Foxpaw purred.

Ashpaw let out a sigh at the prospect of attending the Gathering, of facing the other Clans, Hollypaw and Swanpaw.

"Let's go." Heathertail appeared behind the apprentices. "We can still squeeze in a few more battle moves."

"Yes Heathertail." Hailpaw and Ashpaw rose and followed their mentor out of the camp,quickly leaving the gorse barrier behind.

"We're going to continue working towards pair fighting. Onestar thinks that as I'm teaching the both of you, you will become a good fighting team. How I will accomplish this with your miserable skills is a StarClan set challenge." Heathertail curled her tail neatly over her paws as she sat in front of the apprentices. "Ashpaw, you will master the back kick move while Hailpaw perfects the front paw strike. Demonstrate the form."

Ashpaw crouched, legs tense as she settled into a stance a bit wider then a hunting crouch. Heathertail's silence prompted her to continue as she lashed out with her back paws, her spine arching as the back claws left deep groves in the ground as she brought them up.

"That would have taken my nose off." Hailpaw commented.

"More than your nose." Heathertail corrected. "That blow had power behind it. Notice how she arched her back like she was running? Not normal, but seems to work. If you hadn't made it obvious that you are preparing a blow, any enemy would be running in the other direction. Hailpaw, that's when you come in. Front paw strike."

Hailpaw raised his paw and brings it down. Hard. Heathertail nods approvingly.

"Good use of force." She flicks her tail. "That's enough training for today. Lap along the ThunderClan border and catch a rabbit. Bring it back to camp and rest for the Gathering."

"Yes Heathertail." The two grey apprentices dipped their heads and ran off, paws pounding the earth.

"I'll beat you to the Moonstream!" Hailpaw called to Ashpaw, whiskers plastered to his face from the wind.

"Like StarClan you will!" She called back, reaching her paws farther as they swept along, the Moonstream coming into sight.

"You're on!"

In the end, it was tie. Eyes sparkling and breathing heavy, they slowed to a lope, running the length of the WindClan-ThunderClan border.

"Hey!" It was Blossomfall with Bumblestripe, who looked wistful at sight of his old apprentice and Dovewing and Swanpaw. "Keep on your territory rabbit-chasers!"

"We are!" Hailpaw called, slowing to a trot. "Unless you call this crossing...?"

He dipped a paw into the Moonstream, and the ThunderClan patrol bristled as Hailpaw retracted his paw, chucking softly. Ashpaw stifled a laugh.

"Don't you need a warrior with you?" Swanpaw called over the stream.

"I don't know about ThunderClan anymore," Ashpaw called back, signaling Hailpaw with her tail to back off. "But in WindClan, we trust each other. _We_ can let two apprentices get some exercise and have some freedom. _You_ are having fun on patrol I assume, being told what to do all the time? Peeing all over your side of the stream only when you're allowed?"

"Tallpaw-" Dovewing began, only for Swanpaw to correct her mentor.

"It's Ashpaw." The white she-cat corrected. "Onestar changed it."

"Did he?" Dovewing's ear twitched. "Ashpaw, that is no way to talk about your former Clan."

"Sorry." Ashpaw sneered, internally crying as she saw the hurt look on Swanpaw's face. "I didn't know that enemy warriors could tell me what to say. Would you like me to ask you about your mate- oh wait!"

"Ashpaw!" Hailpaw scowled. "That's enough. They can't help themselves. Let's go catch that rabbit."

"Sure." Ashpaw stalked after him, tail in the air as she deliberately made her voice loud enough to be heard over the Moonstream. "I need to get away from this foul ThunderClan stink."

As they trotted back into camp, Hailpaw carrying a plump rabbit, Ashpaw curled up in her nest as soon as she could, burying herself into the heather and moor grass. She stayed there until it was time for the Gathering, Foxpaw gently reminding her with her sweet voice.

"WindClan!" Onestar's voice echoes along the lakeshore. "Follow me!"

The cats picked their way across the tree bridge, streaming into the clearing, Ashpaw lagging behind.

"And that's how I drove off that weasel." A ShadowClan apprentice bragged to a group of apprentices from assorted Clans.

"Ashpaw." Ashpaw slowly turned around to see Hollypaw. "How's WindClan?"

Ashpaw's mind went blank. "Good?" She squeaked out.

"Great." The grey ThunderClan apprentice pushed forward until their noses were almost touching. "It's awesome in ThunderClan. We have all the freedom and prey we could ever want. We're doing well in our training, not that you'd care, being in WindClan, thanks for asking about Swanpaw by the way. It's not like she's devastated by your spectacle at the WindClan border. What? Do you want cats to think you're loyal to WindClan?"

"But I am!" Ashpaw blinked in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be loyal to WindClan?"

"You're ThunderClan! Firestar's kin! Daughter of Lionblaze and Cinderheart! My sister!" Hollypaw's blue eyes were searching Ashpaw's amber.

"Then why am I in WindClan?" Ashpaw asked dryly.

"Because..." Hollypaw scowled. "It doesn't matter! You're not a rabbit chasing scrawny WindClan cat! You belong in ThunderClan, under the trees!"

"I'm fine where I am." Ashpaw replied, trying to catch Hailpaw or Foxpaw's eye, they had joined the group of chattering apprentices, and were taking no notice of Ashpaw's awkward conversation.

"No you're not!" Hollypaw insisted. "You're changing- WindClan is changing you!"

"Will you drop it?" Ashpaw snapped. "When is a little change a bad thing? Why can't you be okay with this? I raced, I won, I'm in WindClan! What if I don't want to be under the trees, but under the skies, with nothing but StarClan above me?"

"Tallpaw..."

"It's Ashpaw!" Ashpaw spun and stomped away, only to hear Hollypaw's angry mew come after her.

"Because it's not your destiny. You belong in ThunderClan, whether you like it or not."

"What do you know of destiny?" Ashpaw snarled with annoyance, stalking through the groups of cats, only to collide with a golden flank. "Hey! Watch it..."

Lionblaze stared at her, face impassive.

"Do I know you?" The golden warrior asked.

 **End chapter nine! Lots happened during this chapter, Ashpaw is being a butt most obviously. Hollypaw thinking that Ashpaw is still 100% ThunderClan being #2 for me. Let's get down to Question Of The Day;**

 **QOTD1: What do you think of Ashpaw? What about Hollypaw?**

 **QOTD2: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope you find a twenty dollar bill (or it's equivalent if you're from a different country) and get to sleep in!**

 **See you all next time on _They Walk Alone_ or _Weak Instead of Strong_! **


	10. Chapter 10: More stuff

**Hey everyone! I-really-hope-not here with another chapter of They Walk A** **lo** **ne! If you have checked out my other story, then you know that my school is still in until the 26 of June. So, until then, I probably won't be updating, but I will be reviewing here and maybe the Hunger Games fandom. Nothing else to say, so individual replies time:**

 **Storm over** **Water: Thank you! It means a lot that you reviewed, and I'm glad that you had a good day!**

 **WarriorsErin: Yeah, Ashpaw is changing, and Hollypaw and Swanpaw are just going to have to be silently resigned to it. I like your analysis of Lionblaze and the two though, and I'm having a good day. Glad you had a good day too! :)**

 **gracefulhorse: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GRAMMAR HELP! ALso,your input on Ashpaw and Ashpaw and Hollypaw's future interactions is very much appreciated! Can't wait for your next chapter of Dovewing's Ghost!**

 **Ivy the Light Bringer: I dunno, you have to pick your own side, although being on Ashpaw's side probably would make it easier to read! Thanks for pointing out my mistake, and I'm glad you had a nice day!**

 **Pondfrost: I'm sorry you had some "meh" days, but it could be worse right? They could be terrible days. And yeah, he was a pretty awesome dude. Also, I changed her name because it's relevant to later in the story, so read on! Would you also mind if I used Ashhail to describe the two of them quickly? See ya too!**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: I'm glad you find it interesting, and FFN does seem to be having some problems and stuff of the sorts now a days...I hope you had a good day, and I did too!**

 **Now onto the story!**

* * *

"Do I know you?" Lionblaze asked, face impassive.

"Uhh..." Ashpaw flattened her ears slightly. "Yes?"

"Really?" Lionblaze continued, "Because I know a young she-cat just like you, only she was kind to her siblings and didn't make them feel insignificant and small. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this little she-cat was an absolute fox-heart who took pleasure and enjoyment from hurting other cats."

Ashpaw opened her mouth to reply, searching for an answer that didn't come, when Heathertail and Hailpaw strolled up. Or rather, Heathertail strolled like she didn't give a rabbit's foot about anything, and Hailpaw just trailed along, looking terrified.

"Is there a problem?" The brown tabby she-cat gave Lionblaze an impassive look that, with masterful skill, seemed to be quite possibly the most insulting look Ashpaw had ever seen. "Perhaps my apprentice is bothering you?"

"No," Lionblaze's teeth were clenched. "I just mistook your apprentice for...someone else..."

"If _Ashpaw_ isn't causing more trouble, then Hailpaw can escort her back to talk to the other apprentices if you would rather talk about it more." Heathertail's eyes gleamed with well-hidden malice, but Hailpaw and Ashpaw had seen that look in her smokey blue eyes before.

The golden tom looked uncomfortable, and opened his jaws to reply to the she-cat's thinly-veiled barb when Rowanstar yowled out the beginning words of the Gathering.

 _That was an eventful Gathering._ Ashpaw reflected, as she trudged home with the other WindClan cats, _Lionblaze and Heathertail nearly went at it...ThunderClan is being pushy...ShadowClan was bragging about their Clan...RiverClan is fat as always..._

"Watch where you're going!" Emberfoot hissed with annoyance.

"Sorry." Ashpaw dipped her head, and slowed down so that she didn't bother the prickly warrior again.

"Good hunting?" Onestar called to the night hunting patrol, headed by Gorsetail, Flashpaw's mentor.

"Yesh." The she-cat's answer was muffled by a rabbit, and a rare starling in his jaws.

"Good." Onestar purred, and the three cats of the patrol merged with the Gathering cats, Breezepelt growling at Quickclaw for cutting him off.

"Who's guarding camp?" Harespring called.

"Leaftail, Slightfoot and Oatclaw!" Sedgewhisker mewed back, the sparrow in her jaws bobbing.

"Good."

The stream of cats swarmed into the camp, hunting patrol dropping off prey, Hootwhisker stepping off guard duty for Featherpelt, and the Gathering cats returning to their nests. Ashpaw settled down in her nest, letting her spine relax into the grass.

 _Miserable. Cruel. Arrogant. Traitor. Betrayer. Miserable. Cruel. Arrogant. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor._

Ashpaw's eyes flew open, and she leaped out of her nest, her shocked look meeting Hootwhisker's.

"It's okay." Ashpaw managed, fur still bristling from the shock of having a voice that was not her own speak in her head. "Just...had a dream."

"Night run." Hootwhisker nodded sagely. "That'll cure it."

"Night run?" Night runs were technically against the code, as the runner would leave camp without permission, just to run, and feel the moors under paw, the wind in their whiskers. Onestar didn't outright ban them, that would incite full on rebellion. WindClan was very possessive of its running traditions.

"Yes." Hootwhisker offered a small smile. "Quick, just one lap around the borders, and then come back. If it's not cured by then, it's not going to."

"Thanks Hootwhisker." Ashpaw murmured, eyes drifting to the line of horizon outside of the camp, where the land met the sky. "Yeah. I think I will actually."

Paws pounding the ground, Ashpaw flew over the moors, not heading for the lake shore, like most did when going for a night run, as Hailpaw and Foxpaw had told her, but the ThunderClan border. So lost in thought of what she would say to Swanpaw, how she would apologize, Ashpaw didn't notice when she left moor-ground and barreled straight into the sink-ground that made up the thin crust of land above the tunnels. With a high-pitched shriek, Ashpaw's paws went through the ground, then her entire body, plunging into a stream that lapped at her stomach fur. Looking up, she could faintly see the stars gleaming far above her through the hole in the tunnel ceiling, so close, yet so far.

 _Liar. Traitor. Useless. Cruel. Liar. Traitor._

"W-who's there?"Ashpaw shouted.

 _Only the dead are here, only the dead._

"W-what?" Ashpaw pressed her spine into the dirt wall, ear flattened as she peered into the deep gloom of the tunnel.

 _We are the ones who were taken too soon. We are the ones who never made it. We are the ones who are trapped here. We are the dead._

"Didn't you go to StarClan?" Ashpaw could feel a cold wind blowing from deeper in the tunnels, it smelled like dirt that had never seen light and water that was as dark as the hearts of the cats in the Place of No Stars. Just thinking of the Dark Forest made Ashpaw shudder. There was a strange hissing noise, and with it came the sounds of battle, cats screeching and wailing, the rip of flesh and the crack of bone. A faint ringing noise could be barely heard over the battle noises.

 _StarClan only reaches so far. We are the fallen, the ones who could never make it. And now, the ones who forsook us, the ones with stars in their fur and life in their limbs, need us. To reach you. Earth will spill blood and the stars will run red. That is it. Run red little one. Run. Red. You must find us, the forgotten, the fallen, the ones who never got the chance to live._

As the voices-for it was definitely more than one- began to laugh, and Ashpaw felt the world spin, the dark earth and the black water mixing together. There was a steady throbbing in her head.

"Ashpaw! For StarClan's sake, wake up!" It was Hailpaw, mercilessly prodding her with his paw. "You're getting moss into my nest and kicking Foxpaw! Flashpaw's going to boot you out of camp, so knock it off!"

"Sorry." Ashpaw murmured, blurrily peering up at the two siblings, the strange ringing in her ears ebbing and flowing with their voices. "Bad dream."

"I bet." Hailpaw huffed and turned away. "Go back to sleep. And don't disturb us!"

"Yeah yeah." Ashpaw muttered, curling back up into what remained of her nest. _What kind of weird dream was that?_

 _My my, now wasn't that rude._ Now there was only one voice, silky smooth with an out-of-place immaturity tainting the words. _I was about to tell you who we are, but I guess you'll never know. Pity. I would think we would get along like two voles on a fresh-kill pile._

 _"Who are you? What do you want?"_ The ringing grew louder, but didn't seem to effect the volume of the voice.

 _To live. To live._ The voice was acidic, anger and bitterness dripping off of the words. _I-we want to live!_

 _"You said "I"."_ Now the voice was the only thing she could hear, the battle had been muted by the persistent ringing.

 _I have desires too. Imagine having your life laid out in front of you, everything perfect, except for one. Little. Thing. Death. Now, we all are trapped in some MoonClan forsaken limbo between life and death._

 _"MoonClan?"_

 _What's that?_

 _"You said MoonClan, not StarClan!"_

 _Never heard of it. Time to wake up little kitten. I'm sure you will be positively_ dying _of excitement to get on with your life. Happy living._

 _"Wait!"_

Too late, the voice was gone, and the steady ringing in her ears faded along with it. For a moment, a cat's agonized wail could be heard, then all was silent. Ashpaw felt a bloom of sorrow and regret at the wail, and her paws felt sticky with a warm liquid, and they didn't feel right, like another cat's paws had been switched with hers. Then it was gone, the feeling of her paws was back. There was something nagging in the back of her mind, something about the earth? Or was it the stars? But when Ashpaw awoke to the angry pokes of Hailpaw, like usual, something felt like it was missing.

"So what were you dreaming about? You were thrashing and kicking last night. Couldn't get a wink of sleep." Hailpaw grumped as they made their way across the moors on a group hunting assessment.

The silver tabby she-cat shrugged.

"I dunno. Can't remember what it was."

"Well I hope that it never happens again. I'm so tired!"

* * *

 **End of chapter 10! So whaddya think? I personally feel really happy because now we're getting into the part that I'm super exited to write. *squeals* None of these questions relate to the rest of the story, I'm just asking, I don't wanna spoil the surprise! Anyway, QOTD time, ya'll know what to do!**

 **QOTD1: Who do you think the voice is? What is MoonClan?**

 **QOTD2: What about the ThunderClan cats? Who's your favorite? Why?**

 **QOTD3: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope you get to have a day off with your friends and just have fun!**

 **I-really-hope-not signing off for today, I'll see you next time on _They Walk Alone_ or _Weak Instead of Strong!_**


	11. Chapter 11: Almost there

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for not updating, but I wanted to write some of the next few chapters all at once. So I guess expect an update in a week or so. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and let's get to individual replies!**

 **Hazelflight: Hollykit is cute. :3 I am aware of the Cinderheart/pelt mixup, and I will check out your story! Thank you for the compliment too!**

 **Shadowstorm11: Thank you! :)**

 **SilverflowerXRavenpaw: Thank you too!**

 **WarriorsErin: Ah yes, the dreaded homework. At least you don't have to worry about that until September, right? You're close- the voices are "living" cats though. MoonClan will be explained in later chapters. :)**

 **Ivy The Light Bringer: Not exactly MoonClan, but you're getting close. I can see why you're lacking favorites, and I hope you had a nice day! :3**

 **Starrysong Summer Hype: That's honestly a comparison I hadn't really thought about...though I don't think that Ashpaw enjoys turning back on her old life...**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: All will be explained, all will be explained... Tallpaw is a good cat though. Hope you had a wonderful day!**

 **Afterburngaming: Thank you! :)**

* * *

"Bleh." Hailpaw flicked his paws in annoyance. Rain was gushing down onto the moors, and the peaty ground had turned into a mush of grass, mud, and icky water.

"I'm going to get greencough and die." Furzepelt grumbled, flicking water out of her ears. The grey and white she-cat was soaking, having slipped and fallen into a poorly drained area.

"Well don't do that until we get back to camp." Sedgewhisker snapped. "And be careful, that rabbit will be crow-food by the time we reach camp if you keep dragging it like that.

"She-cats, please." Oatclaw mumbled around his thin rabbit. "Look at Ashpaw."

There were snickers and poorly muffled laughter through the large patrol. The tabby sighed.

"I didn't know that the whole warren would give out." She muttered, grey pelt brown with mud. "It just sorta...gave way."

"But your face!" Larkwing hooted with laughter. "You were so surprised!"

"You try going after a rabbit, and then fall into the burrow!" Ashpaw scowled.

"At least we got fresh-kill out of it." Heathertail trotted along at the front of the patrol. "Good job with catching those four rabbits Hailpaw, Furzepelt."

"Thank you Heathertail." Hailpaw inclined his head, rabbit brushing the ground.

"Indeed." Furzepelt echoed.

The patrol made their way into the camp, Heathertail leading them over to the sheltered fresh-kill pile. Dropping off the sodden rabbits, the patrol made their way to Harespring to give their report.

"And that's it." Heathertail finished, whiskers twitching as she remembered Ashpaw's fall. Harespring snuck a glance at the grumpy Ashpaw and gave a harsh bark of laughter.

"Go get cleaned up." The deputy mewed. "You have the rest of the day off."

"Yes Harespring." Heathertail turned away, and the patrol scattered off into their storm-nests in old rabbit warrens expanded for cats.

"Ashpaw, wash off before you enter the apprentices den, Hailpaw, don't let her in until she's clean."

"Yes Heathertail."

Ashpaw sat outside of the den and proceeded to clean her paws and pelt as well as she could.

"I think you're clean." Foxpaw purred. "Otherwise you might wash until you have no pelt left!"

"Yeah." Ashpaw studied what she could of her pelt before getting up. "I'm going back to my nest now."

"I'll come with you." Foxpaw purred and padded after Ashpaw into the fox hole.

Moons passed, quarrels ebbed and grew. Kits were born and apprentices made. And somewhere, a cat was laughing. Laughing because they couldn't be stopped. Not then, not ever. _The earth will spill blood and the stars will run red._

"Ashpaw, stop spacing out!" It was Heathertail, blue eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Yes Heathertail!" Ashpaw shot to her paws and trotted over to her mentor.

"Today we're having your final hunting assessments, so do your best. I'm getting Icepaw to be your rabbit." The tabby turned and looked at the two apprentices following her. For a moment, her eyes softened. "You've done well, and I'm proud of you both."

And with that, Heathertail trotted off, leaving the two grey tabbies watching in bewilderment.

"Did she just...?" Hailpaw's blue eyes were full of confusion.

"Yup." Ashpaw confirmed. "Heathertail did just say she was proud of us."

"Who put poppy seeds in her fresh-kill?" Hailpaw wondered. "It's like she's a totally different cat!"

"Probably Foxpaw."

Soon the brown tabby returned, with Icepaw trailing behind her, looking quite nervous. The tabby warrior spun her two apprentices around so that they were staring in the opposite direction and hastily whispered directions into Icepaw's ear.

"And go!" The grey tabbies spun and were off like a shot, chasing after a quickly-tiring Icepaw. Pouncing and landing, Hailpaw blocked Icepaw on one side while Ashpaw tackled her. Heathertail said nothing.

"Now the fighting assessment." Heathertail announced. "Ashpaw and Foxpaw, you are the first match."

It wasn't a particularly pretty fight, with the apprentices scuffing around on the dirt and more hits that were light and glancing than anything else. Yet Heathertail looked pleased and sent Hailpaw on to fight with Foxpaw's mentor.

"I bet my warrior name will be something like Foxtail, or Foxfur." Foxpaw mused as the three apprentices padded after their mentors. "What do you guys think your warrior names will be?"

"Mine will be something cool like Hailclaw, or Hailstorm." Hailpaw flicked his tail happily.

"Ashfall? Ashstorm? I dunno." Ashpaw responded. Soon, they trotted into camp, and Nightcloud and Heathertail allowed them to take the rest of the day off.

"Let all cats old enough to run the moors gather around the Tallrock!" Onestar easily bounded up the large boulder and yowled out the summons. Then he turned to the three apprentices who gave quick licks to their fur one last time and tried to look presentable. " I, Onestar, leader of WindClan, call upon me warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hand to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn. Foxpaw, Hailpaw, Ashpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost your own life?"

"I do!" Hailpaw shouted.

"I do." Foxpaw and Ashpaw chorused.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Foxpaw, from this moment you will be known as Foxtail. StarClan honors your energy and honesty, and we welcome you as a full member of WindClan. Hailpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Hailstorm. StarClan honors your bravery and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of WindClan. Ashpaw-"

 _Your fate approaches living one. Remember that the earth will spill blood and the stars will run red._

 **Sorry if this chapter seems a bit awkward in a few places, but the main plot is just a chapter away! QOTD time!**

 **QOTD1: What do you think should Ashpaw's warrior name be?**

 **QOTD2: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope you get to relax and have some down time and get to re-watch your favorite movie.**

 **I-really-hope-not signing off for today, I'll see you next time on _They Walk Alone_ or _Weak Instead of Strong!_**


	12. Chapter 12: Oh look, we're there

**Hey everyone! I'm here with the twelfth chapter of They Walk Alone, and with nothing else to say, individual replies time!**

 **ReallyBoredFanfictionWriter: Thank you! Your feedback on the training was helpful, I'll keep it in mind for the future. I too, hope you have a fabulous day/night!**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: Well maybe not Ashfur, but I like your other suggestions! Have a great day too!**

 **Williwonke: Thank you! Stalked is great too! :)**

 **WarriorsErin: Thank you! I like your suggestions, and I'm glad you were having a good day. Can't wait for the next chapter of Brewing Storm!**

* * *

Ashfrost took a deep breath of the chilly night air. It was Foxtail, Hailstorm's and her's warrior vigil, and honestly? The view was _astounding_. They were sitting on a flat outcropping of rock that overlooked the storm dens, and they watched as the morning sun peeked over the horizon and raced across the moors.

"You can come down and talk now!" Thornpaw called up as he padded to the fresh-kill pile. "The sun has risen!"

The three new warriors uncurled from their positions on the cold stone, stetched, and bounded down to greet their Clanmates.

"ThunderClan scent was all over the border!" Hootwhisker complained loudly. "Featherpelt thought that the border was _tail-lengths_ away from the stream!"

"Hey!" The tabby squealed.

"This is troubling." Onestar murmured. "Harespring, set up more frequent patrols around the Moonstream border. I'm not letting that _insolent_ Bramblestar get away with a mad grab for territory."

"Yes Onestar." The deputy hurried off, calling for Breezepelt, Leaftail, and Oatclaw as he went.

"Back to your daily tasks!" Onestar ordered. "Kestrelflight, Thornpaw, with me."

"What was that about?" Foxtail asked as they grabbed a rabbit to share off of the fresh-kill pile.

"I guess we were really caught up in training, but I overheard Heathertail talking to Whitetail about how ThunderClan was really pushing against the border. Onestar thinks that we might go to actual war, not just occasional border skirmishes." Ashfrost ripped the ears off of the rabbit.

"Our first battle as warriors!" Hailstorm's blue eyes glowed.

"Hailstorm, Foxtail, Ashfrost, get your tails into motion and out hunting!" Harespring called as he hurried by, almost tripping over a nest in the middle of the camp. "The fresh-kill pile needs to be re-stocked."

"It looks pretty full already." Hailstorm eyed the pile of five rabbits and assorted small birds.

"Just go!" Harespring snarled.

Spooked, the three warriors bolted out of the camp, and onto the moors.

"Group hunt?" Foxtail proposed.

"We should do it by the ThunderClan border. Then they'll know that they can't mess with us!" Hailstorm puffed out his chest.

"Then let's go!" Foxtail shouted. "Last one to the border is a rabbit-heart!"

"You're on!" Ashfrost took off, closely followed by Hailstorm and Foxtail.

"You smell that?" Hailstorm opened his jaws to scent the air better. "It's ThunderClan, but it has a weird quality to it...almost like crowfood."

"Yeah..." Ashfrost crested the rise of the hill, surveying the Moonstream. "Hey! There's a dead rabbit in the Moonstream! And it looks like a ThunderClan patrol put it there!"

The three WindClan warriors bounded down the hill, claws unsheathed and teeth bared.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hailstorm snarled at the patrol, who looked up, startled.

"We found it in the stream-" Whitewing began, before being cut off by Ashfrost.

"Save it ThunderClan scum! We saw you, you planted the rabbit there! Onestar will hear about this!" The tabby hissed.

"Then you're mistaken, because we _found_ it." Poppyfrost mewed coolly.

"Really?" Foxtail growled. "Because we _found_ a patrol of ThunderClan cats doing suspicious things around the border."

"And that patrol looks even more suspiciously like a _battle patrol_." Ashfrost raised her hackles even further. "There's what? Six of you? Seven? And you even brought apprentices. Adorable."

The ThunderClan cats shifted uneasily.

"We're warriors now, thanks." Holly-I-now-have-a-warrior-name snarled. "I'm Hollyblaze, and Swanpaw is now Swansong."

"Foxtail, go inform Onestar." Hailstorm growled. "It appears we have an invasion on our paws."

Foxtail looked like she was about to argue, but after taking another look at the ThunderClan patrol, raced off.

"We outnumber you at least two-to-one." Berrynose observed.

"But our warriors are trained better." Hailstorm shot back.

"Snowbush." Poppyfrost narrowed her eyes at the younger warrior, who was obviously now spoiling for a fight. The white tom hissed, but gradually relaxed his stance.

"What seems to be happening here?" Harespring's voice rolled over the bristling cats as a group of five WindClan warriors came to supplement the two already standing there.

"There was a misunderstanding." Poppyfrost dipped her head at the deputy. "We found this rabbit in the Moonstream-"

"You planted it!" Hailstorm hissed.

Quick as a flash, Snowbush leaped and bowled over Hailstorm, the two toms a screeching ball of fur. Harespring launched himself at Thornclaw, who reared up to deflect the deputy's hail of blows. Poppyfrost and Whitewing fought back to back against Nightcloud and Gorsetail. Hollyblaze was occupied with Foxtail. Berrynose and Breeezepelt faced off, both toms posturing more than anything. That left- Swansong screeched as Ashfrost latched on to her scruff and refused to let go, her claws scrabbling against the she-cat's white fur. Throwing her weight to the side, Swansong rolled, battering Ashbreeze against the submerged rocks of the Moonstream. The grey tabby let go, hissing viciously. As the two threw themselves at each other, it was obvious that whatever sisterly affection that once existed was now gone. The two battled it out in the middle of the stream, water rushing over their paws and undermining their footing as they lashed out with nondiscriminatory paws. Ashfrost landed a heavy blow on Swansong's scarred shoulder just as the she-cat slipped. She had slipped on a rock, and the rushing water swept her paws out from under her. Ashfrost's claws were still dug in, and ripped a line from her shoulder across her neck as the she-cat fell.

"Swansong!" Ashfrost shrieked, amber eyes wide with horror as Swansong gasped and choked, blood rushing out of her throat. "Hold on!"

The WindClan warrior dragged Swansong out of the water and onto ThunderClan's side of the bank.

"H-Hollyblaze!" The tabby screamed, fur plastered to her body, making her look half her size. The other grey tabby looked up from where she had pinned Foxtail, who was scrabbling her hind paws at Hollyblaze's belly. Letting go, she raced to where Ashfrost crouched over Swansong's body.

"Swansong? Swansong!" Hollyblaze buried her nose into the blood-soaked fur of a now-dead cat. Looking up, she bared her teeth at Ashfrost."You did this!"

Lunging forward, Hollyblaze bowled the skinnier Ashfrost over and threw her training to the wind. The ThunderClan warrior was striking blows that had neither rhyme nor reason, just lashing out. Ashfrost did nothing to defend herself.

"ThunderClan retreat!" Poppyfrost shouted, having seen the body of Swansong.

"Hollyblaze!" Thornclaw yanked the she-cat off, her paws flailing with anger. "It's over!"

"Let me go!" Hollyblaze yelped. "She-"

"Enough!" Whitewing blocked the grey warrior from returning to attacking Ashfrost, who gingerly stood up.

The patrol retreated, the six cats hissing and glaring at the triumphant WindClan patrol.

"Now." Harespring's voice was like ice. "Can someone tell me who killed that ThunderClan warrior?"

 **~oOo~**

"I, Onestar, hereby exile Ashfrost from WindClan." The brown tabby's voice was emotionless as he stared down at the smaller grey tabby. "You have until sunset to leave the territory. If any of our warriors finds you still on our territory after the sun has left the sky, we will kill you. A patrol will escort you to the borders."

"Goodbye Ashfrost." Foxtail brushed her tail along her friend's flank.

Ashfrost tried for a smile.

"Good-bye Foxtail."

Hailstorm glared at Ashfrost.

"You didn't have to ask to be banished!" The tom hissed. "If you didn't you wouldn't have to leave!"

"If I didn't leave, ThunderClan would escalate this into a war." Ashfrost replied. "And I couldn't just kill a cat and live with what I did. I need to leave."

"You need to stop being so dramatic." Hailstorm stalked off, heading to talk with Thornpaw.

"Bye Hailstorm." Ashfrost called.

Ashfrost slowly walked out of camp, flanked by stone-faced warriors. Soon, they were gone, shadows stretching across the moor. That night, stars fell from the sky. They streaked across the inky black and converged on one spot in the horizon before fading away. Two seemed to be in the lead, racing ahead in arcs of dazzling white. Funny thing was, they seemed to have come from the Moonpool.

* * *

 **Okay! That was the last chapter that stars WindClan for a while, and now it's time for QOTD!**

 **QOTD1: What did you think about Ashfrost's banishment?**

 **QOTD2: What's up with the shooting stars?**

 **QOTD3: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope that you get to hang out with your favorite person and enjoy the summer.**

 **I-really-hope-not signing off for now, I'll see you later on _They Walk Alone,_ or _Weak Instead of Strong!_**


	13. Chapter 13: Dreams

**Okay, woah. 104 reviews? Thank you everyone who reviewed and gave me positive comments! And just a general announcement, with the school year having started, my stories will be updating about one every two months on average or so. So just expect very few updates. With that out of the way, individual replies;**

 **Willowstorm of SkyClan: Thank you, I tried!**

 **Key of Light and Darkness: They do need to sit down and talk it out, that's for sure. Read on to find out more about the Moonpool!**

 **Amberpetal: Thank you!**

 **WarriorsErin: Thank you! My best answer to your questions is that Ashfrost felt guilty, and she took the easy way out instead of actually facing her problems. I love your thoughts on the shooting stars though, too! :)**

 **SimbaXNala: Glad you had a great day! And thank you about Ashfrost's warrior name!**

 **SilverflowerXRavenpaw: Yay for tractors, and thank you for the quick spelling tip. And that comment about the dead rabbit made me laugh. :)**

* * *

 _Hailstorm turned over in his nest uncomfortably._

 _"Hailstorm." A quiet voice called. "Hailstorm."_

 _The warrior spun in a circle looking for the voice, and out of the rolling moors, a white she-cat padded. Her muzzle, paws and tail-tip were a faded black, and in her fur glittered stars._

 _"Who are you?" Hailstorm asked, then he took a closer look. "You're the cat who Ashfrost killed!"_

 _"Yes." The she-cat's voice was dry, blue-green eyes filled with unreadable emotion- hatred? Disgust? Both were equally plausible. "My name is Swansong, and the fate of Ashfrost and in turn, the Clans, lies in your paws. Come along now."_

 _So he followed._

Meanwhile, in a bare patch of dirt under a thorny and craggy bush-

 _"It's all your fault!" The voices howled, wind whipping around Ashfrost. "You killed Swansong, you deserve to die too!"  
_

 _"It was an accident!" Ashfrost curled up, ears pinned to her head as malevolent voices chanted and swirled in the fog where she could not see them._

 _"Are you sure?" There was the battle again, cats screeching and yowling, with the same faint ringing that grew louder. "You_ enjoyed _it, enjoyed the warm gush of blood over your paws, the power of controlling another's life-"_

 _"No!" Ashfrost curled up next to a slimy tree, wet moss covering it trunk. Were all trees slimy? Or just this one?_

 _"Yes." The voices were silent, with only the velvet-soft and silky-smooth voice that delivered the prophecy speaking. "You're just denying yourself your birthright- Tallflame."  
_

 _The name felt poisonous, wrong on a fundamental level. For a moment, the ringing went away, and the sound of battle returned, the sick squelches of the ragged breathing of a dying cat first and foremost this time. But at the same time, there was a sense of_ rightness _. Of home, security._ Family. _Ashfrost hated it. There was a rising panic in her- wrong, wrong, wrong wrong wrongwrongwrongrightwrongrightwrongrightright. It was confusing and terrifying and painful._

 _"My name is Ashfrost!" Ashfrost shrieked. The ringing returned._

 _There was a silence, a pregnant pause. Then the voice laughed._

 _"Pity. I would have_ loved _meeting you in the realm of the living." There was a sense that Ashfrost had failed a test. The winds has stopped, the fog had thinned a bit to see the figure of a cat, ice blue eyes- a faded, washed out version of Swansong's- glittering._

 _"Who are you?" Ashfrost called, courage returning somewhat with the sight of a potential target._

 _"My name is not for your ears." The cat replied. "But you may call me Snake."_

 _And then the cat vanished._

With a screech, Ashfrost bolted out of her dirt patch. It was raining. The bush offered some shelter, but with its lack of leaves, it offered very little. Ashfrost looked up at the dark sky. With a sigh, she set out in the direction of nowhere, just wandering.

 _"How do I save the Clans?"_

 _"As you may know, Ashfrost and I are not the true children of Lionblaze and Cinderheart." Swansong began. "We are only two of a litter of four- and the only two who lived."_

 _"But you're dead-" Hailstorm began. Swansong hissed._

 _"You do want to know how to save the Clans?"_

 _"Yes?" Hailstorm squeaked._

 _"Then shut up and listen!" Swansong calmed down, her fur gently settling. "We survived- but first- our mother. She was a rouge who briefly spent time in WindClan, just enough to give birth to her kits. Naturally, Onestar asked her if she would like to stay until her kits were grown enough to travel, or to formally join the Clan. This she-cat was not in the best of minds- giving birth to four kits does that to you!" Swansong added savagely, seeing Hailstorm open his mouth. "Something happened during the birth- something went wrong inside her, I suppose- and she grew frantic, certain that Onestar would take us away from her and have us killed. Naturally, she stole away in the dead of night, and carried us down to the lake shore. Having heard dark tales of RiverClan and ThunderClan-" Here Swansong sniffed, disdain written on her face. "How she came to the conclusion ThunderClan is bad, I'll never know. So she set out for ShadowClan._

 _"Despite not knowing how to swim, she put us on a branch and attempted to make her way across the lake. Naturally, as we were only about a half-moon old, something went wrong. One of us- Adder, was his name I think- fell off the branch and our mother went after him. They both drowned. The remaining kits- Ashfrost, our unnamed brother, and I drifted back to shore, where a ThunderClan patrol found us. Our other brother didn't make it."_

 _"How do you know all of this?" Hailstorm asked, shocked by the story. Swansong looked off into the distance._

 _"When we die." Swansong began, looking distracted, like a thousand voices were asking for her attention at once. "We have the choice- live as we did, and eventually fade in ignorance. Or- have all that we have lived and seen laid out before us. Our memories are dredged up and we live though them again. Then we live in StarClan, and when we fade, we are reborn. Of course, there are exceptions."_

 _"...Okay..." Hailstorm blinked in confusion. "But how do I have the Clans?"_

 _"Flame trumps earth and the stars will run with life." Was all Swansong said, her form slowly fading._

 _"Well, the Clans are going to burn." Hailstorm mewed pleasantly. "Because I have no idea what means!"_

 _The tom set out over the flat moor, letting the breeze play in his whiskers. Then, at the sound of a cat's heavy breathing, spun around. The new tom was decrepit, all bony angles and sagging skin. His milky brown eyes were staring straight at Hailstorm's own blue._

 _"Holy StarClan above!" Hailstorm yelped, leaping back._

 _"More like "Holy StarClan around me"." The tom grumbled._

 _"But you're old!" Hailstorm stammered. "I thought that-"_

 _"We all were young?" The old tom sighed. "No. Only the ones that chose rebirth, which is most cats. I chose to fade eternally."_

 _"Fade eternally?"_

 _"I will fade from existence, but as long as some cats remember me, I was will grow older, my body slowly failing me. It's a huge risk showing myself to you." The old tom squinted. "Die early, and don't make a lasting impression on the world, that's my advice. And don't fall in love. Love will kill you."_

 _"Okay?" Hailstorm pinned his ears. This dream was taking a very odd turn. The tom's red pelt was patched, which looked more like battle wounds than anything else._

 _"You look just like her..." He sighed, his pelt fading as he spoke._

 _"Who?"_

 _"Remember the Starpool." The old tom grumbled, his form fading even more until he was nothing but a brown pair of eyes. "Remember the Starpool." And with that, he faded entirely. A cold wind blew, and Hailstorm suddenly knew what he had to do._

Hailstorm shot out of his nest and shook the scraps of moss from his moss before going to find Onestar. He had a she-cat to find.

* * *

 **QOTD time!**

 **QOTD1: Who was the old tom?**

 **QOTD2: What do you think of the dreams, Ashfrost's and Hailstorm's?**

 **QOTD3: What about the prophecies?**

 **QOTD4: Are you having a good day? If not, I hope that (if you're a student) that you don't get too much homework and get nice teachers. If you're an adult, I hope you just get to take a day off and do whatever.**

 **I-really-hope-not signing off for now, I'll see you later on _They Walk Alone_ , _Weak Instead of Strong,_ or _Jumpstorm's Story!_**


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